Desolation
by bunniesnfish
Summary: In the aftermath of the war, Azula escapes with knowledge that could defeat the newly-crowned Fire Lord. The Gaang sets off to unravel a mystery thousands of years in the making, and preserve the new-found peace between the nations. Zutara/Taang
1. Prologue: Darkness

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

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**Author's note: **Hey, I'm back (kind of)! I wanted to finish writing this before I posted it, but it just wasn't happening. I'm hoping that posting it will give me more incentive to write ;) Life is busy, so bear with me! I won't be posting as often as I did on my previous stories. At any rate, I hope you enjoy.

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"**Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh."**

Proverbs 3:25

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The night was heavy as the young noblewoman paced her spacious room. She could hear the distant booms of fireworks over the city. Tonight, the Fire Nation capital was celebrating. Mai was not, for at the moment, she was furious at the Fire Lord. She knew that most would call her cold and emotionless, but that was a carefully cultivated façade. She certainly felt emotion; however, she buried it so deep inside herself that sometimes even she had to remind herself of it.

Tonight, despite her best efforts, her emotions had come bubbling to the surface. Zuko had pulled her aside to tell her that he was going on a mission to search for his mother. He had already confronted Ozai to ask the whereabouts of his mother. Unsurprisingly, the former tyrant was not exactly forthcoming with an answer. On their short post-war vacation to Ba Sing Se, Zuko had quietly started poking around for any information regarding his mother.

Today, he had received a lead from the governor of a minor town in the Earth Kingdom. A woman matching Ursa's description had apparently been sighted there. Zuko had come bursting into her house in a decidedly un-Fire Lord-like fashion, and informed her that he was going to return to the Earth Kingdom to follow up on the lead.

"_Zuko, you just got back from the Earth Kingdom. Are you sure you should be rushing back so soon? Your own country needs you," she stated calmly._

_She watched as Zuko's expression of delirious happiness had melted._

"_Mai, you don't understand. I _have _to find my mother. She gave up so much for me, and I-I need to make things right. I need-" he had stopped at the dangerous glint in Mai's eyes._

"You_ need? What about what everyone else needs?" she retorted in an uncharacteristically loud voice._

_His face had degenerated into an angry mask; she had seen some of the "old" Zuko escape in that moment. She expected to see some smoke momentarily._

"_Katara understands. She's already agreed to join me," he said, his voice a hard contrast to her yell._

_Unexpected hurt coursed through her head in that moment. She had sensed something between Zuko and the waterbender. Zuko had told her it was nothing – they were just close friends who had been through a lot together. But this? He was going to go chasing through the Earth Kingdom on a fool's mission with this girl?_

_Her eyes narrowed at him, and she pointed a slender finger at the ornate door leading out of her room._

"_Get out. It's over, Zuko."_

_Most of the anger fled from his face, and expressions of sadness, regret, and disappointment quickly flitted across his features._

"_Mai, I-" he started._

"_Get out, Zuko," she repeated, obviously fingering one of her throwing knives._

_The Fire Lord's face became hard once more._

"_Goodbye, Mai," he said coldly. With that, he turned and left._

She was pulled from her reverie by shouts from the streets. The grand celebration was being thrown to mark the signing of the peace treaty between all the nations. She looked out across the city, and knew that Zuko was in the thick of it, probably giving yet another speech as the people cheered.

Fireworks began to boom over the palace. Since her house was in close proximity to the palace, the flashes of light filled her dark room with an eerie glow. Blue. Gold. Green.

Mai sat down at her vanity and began to unbind her hair. She took the pins out of her dark locks, and looked up into her mirror. In that moment, a particularly bright firework lit the room, and Mai saw another face join hers in the mirror's reflection.

She stood up abruptly, her heart pounding. Fortunately, she was still wearing her robes, so her knives were close at hand.

"What do you want, Azula?" she asked cautiously.

Her old friend had a mad glint in her golden eyes as the glow of fireworks continued to fill the room. Mai was disturbed at the unbalanced look on the former princess' face. She had heard stories of Azula's downfall, but had been unable to bring herself to visit the girl since the end of the war. She could see for herself that the rumors were true. Azula had gone mad.

"What, I can't drop in on an old friend without suspicion?" Azula asked sweetly.

"My _old friend_ is supposed to be in a prison cell," Mai shot back.

Azula gave a long-suffering sigh.

"I suppose that's true. I _did_ tell little Zuzu that I would escape. After all, this is a night of celebration. I didn't want to miss it," she said wistfully.

"So again, why did you come here?" Mai asked pointedly. _Is she going to ask me to join her again?_

"I wanted to set things right," Azula said with a snarl.

Mai began to feel real fear in that moment. There was such a contrast between Zuko and his sister. As much as she hated the young Fire Lord right then, she knew he was good for the world. She was reassured when he spoke of "setting things right". Now, when she heard Azula utter the same words, a chill traveled up her spine. She mentally calculated the proper trajectory to throw her weapons, and prepared to attack.

Through the eerie light flashing in from outside, Mai saw Azula's hands move in an unsettlingly familiar motion. As she threw her blade, an electric blue glow filled the room. The flashing of the fireworks grew more frequent – the show was nearly at an end.

Mai 's slender knife sliced through the air as a bolt of electricity arced towards her. The lightning made contact with her chest, and she could no longer distinguish between the light of the fireworks and flashes of electricity that were still coursing out of her body as she fell to the floor.

She opened her eyes, and Azula's face stared down at her with hatred.

"You betrayed me for the _pretender._ You are only the first thing dear to him that I have taken. Goodbye, Mai," she said dangerously. Mai could see that her blade had made contact – blood ran down Azula's shoulder.

The last thing the young woman saw before her vision faded was a pair of boots walking confidently out of the room. As she took her last breath, she reflected that the last words of both Fire siblings to her had been _"Goodbye, Mai."_

* * *

A small, unnamed island lay off the northwest coast of the Earth Kingdom. To a select few, it was known as Desolation Island. Most paid it no mind. It was only rarely passed by on occasions when there was stormy weather in the normal shipping channels between the Earth Kingdom and the Northern Water Tribe.

Those who were aware of its existence generally avoided it at all costs. Sailors swore that ghosts who had not been granted entrance to the Spirit World resided there, for screams and moans could be heard above the crashing waves.

Unbeknownst to the sailors, the island was inhabited, albeit not by ghosts. The island was in fact the location of the Fire Nation's best-kept secret, for besides the island's inhabitants, only the former Fire Lord knew of its existence. The island was a prison for those the Fire Nation wanted to forget. Aside from the prison guards, only a handful of prisoners called the desolate place home. Ironically, the prison island was also home to a key – the key to a long-held secret of the Fire Nation royal family.

One gloomy night, a messenger hawk approached the island. The bird hesitated mid-air, as if it could sense the despair that emanated from the place. Instinct kicked in, however, and the creature completed its mission.

The hawk dropped off its missive to a harsh-looking man, who immediately unfurled the scroll. Messages only arrived once every few years. He lived on the point of the island furthest from the prison. He no longer had a name. This island was all he had known for the past twenty-three years. It had been abandoned for a short time under Azulon's rule, but he remained – awaiting the day he would be called to service. He had served Fire Lord Azulon, and he had served Fire Lord Ozai. His loyalty was to the legacy of Sozin.

The warden was aware of his existence – indeed, he needed food delivered, as the rocky soil was not fertile enough to plant anything. However, the warden knew nothing of his true mission. Sozin's Comet had come and gone, and the man had awaited news of the Fire Nation's victory.

The news, however, was grim. The man's hands clenched in fury as he read the contents of the letter.

_The true Fire Lord has been imprisoned, and the Pretender has taken his throne. It is time to release Sozin's Fist._

It was time to depart his lonely existence on Desolation Island. It was time to gather the secret army.


	2. Desolation

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

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**Author's note: **Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I hope you all enjoy the official Chapter 1!

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_Picking up the pieces, now where to begin?_

_The hardest part of ending is starting again._

-Linkin Park, _Waiting for the End_

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**Chapter 1: Desolation**

Zuko stood with several of his friends in the main square outside the Fire Palace, enjoying the fireworks display with everyone else. He had just given another speech – he was beginning to grow weary of them, but he knew he would be giving speeches for a long time to come. Fortunately, he was able to speak words of peace and hope, and the populace had cheered.

He looked around at his companions. Toph sat down on a rock-bench of her own creation, idly forming shapes out of her much-loved piece of meteor. Understandably, she was unimpressed by the booming fireworks. Sokka kept poking her in the arm, asking, "Did you see that one? That was the best one yet!" at which point Toph would punch him and retort, "HOW many times do I have to tell you I'm BLIND, meat-for-brains?" The Water Tribe boy would look properly abashed until another large boom would fill the sky. After the third time, Suki drew him away from Toph, since his arm was beginning to show a collection of bruises courtesy of Toph. The young couple walked over to a stand of cherry trees for a more…private viewing of the show.

Aang…was being Aang. Avatar or not, he was still a young boy who wished to have fun. Even now, he was sailing around the sky on a new glider built for him by Teo and the mechanist. The just-turned thirteen year-old was on top of the world. He had defeated Ozai, brought peace to the world, and seemed to think that Katara was in love with him. As he looked at the waterbender, he wasn't quite sure that that was the case. Certainly, she cared for Aang, but it was becoming increasingly apparent that she was with him merely out of not wanting to disappoint the young Air Nomad. Zuko wondered if Aang had yet noticed Katara's steady distancing of herself. He knew the others had noticed, and everyone avoided the subject of the relationship as much as possible.

Zuko shook his head. It wasn't as if his own relationship was without problems. Well, it seemed he wasn't even in a relationship any more. On the day of his coronation, Mai had made him promise to never break up with her again. He hadn't broken that promise. She had broken up with him. He sighed. He did care for Mai, but it seemed that things came crumbling down every time they hit an obstacle. How could they build a relationship on that?

He felt a flash of anger when he thought of her refusal to support the search for his mother. She had been there after his mother disappeared; she had seen how devastated he was. He thought that she would understand his need to find the woman who had birthed him. Then again, Mai had both of her parents – neither of whom she particularly cared for. Granted, they never paid her much attention, except to tell her how to behave.

He knew she would be jealous of Katara's agreement to help him in his search. Mai had expressed some jealousy over his relationship with the waterbender, even after he assured her that there was nothing romantic going on. He had informed her that Katara was joining him purely out of anger at her reaction. He had known she would react badly. He pinched the bridge of his nose. So why had he said it? He supposed she would have found out soon anyway, but that certainly wasn't the best way to inform her.

As his thoughts turned to Katara, he looked over at the blue-eyed girl. Unlike Mai, Katara understood firsthand the loss of a mother. He had already helped her to confront _her_ mother's killer, and in return, she wanted to help him find his mother. She had been overjoyed when he told her that there was a chance that Ursa was still alive. He hadn't missed the pained flash of jealousy in her expression, but it had quickly passed, and was replaced with genuine happiness for him.

Today, when he had relayed the news that his mother may have been spotted in the Earth Kingdom, she had been ready to depart at that very moment. As much as he wished to, he knew he had certain responsibilities to deal with before leaving. He had sent a messenger hawk to his Uncle informing him of the news. Iroh had told him that if there was any word of his mother's whereabouts that he would temporarily take over the Fire Lord's duties while Zuko investigated.

A shout interrupted his musings, and he looked up as a young messenger boy ran breathlessly up to him. The young man had a look of panic on his face. Zuko felt his heart skip a beat. He had the feeling this would not be good news.

The boy approached Zuko and spoke to him in a whisper. "My lord, Princess Azula has escaped her prison cell. The guards are already conducting a search, but she is nowhere to be found," he said in a rush.

Zuko felt his heart drop to his feet. He noticed Katara look over at him worriedly; she seemed to be the only one who had taken notice. He motioned for her to join him. He looked down at the young boy who had brought him the message.

"Inform the guards to continue their search. Have each member of the military council be informed that there will be an emergency meeting in one hour's time. The celebration is to be cut short. I want the Imperial Firebenders out here to protect the populace."

The boy scampered off to deliver the Fire Lord's instructions just as Katara reached his side. Sensing the need to keep things quiet, she whispered, "Zuko, what's going on?"

He looked at her gravely. "Azula has escaped," he said simply. He heard her sharp intake of breath above the celebration. "We need to get the people out of the streets without causing a panic."

Katara thought a moment, then spoke. "Can you just announce that you have been made aware of a threat, and you think it best to end the celebration now? You know, nothing specific?"

He nodded slowly. Hopefully it wouldn't cause a panic among the populace. He turned to motion the rest of his friends over, but Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Suki had realized that something was going on, and were making their way over to where Zuko and Katara stood.

Zuko ascended the steps, and called the crowd to attention.

"Everyone! Please listen! I have been made aware of a threat to the security of this celebration! Stay calm and return to your homes," he entreated. He instructed his guards to spread the word among the throng of people.

Disappointed celebrants began to gather up belongings to return to their homes. Zuko felt his forehead crease in worry at the sheer number of people in the city. The inns were completely full. World peace would not be off to a good start if Azula went on a rampage through the crowded city – especially if she harmed any Water Tribe or Earth Kingdom citizens.

Despite his fears, he was somewhat reassured by the thought that more than likely, Azula would flee the city. However, at this point, he wasn't sure how mentally unstable his sister was. She was certainly…unbalanced on the day of their Agni Kai. She had continued to rant and rave after her imprisonment, but the devious spark of intelligence had returned to her golden eyes within the past couple of days. As soon as he saw that, he knew she was planning something. Obviously, escape would be first on her list.

He rubbed his temples as his friends looked at him worriedly. He didn't even want to think about what condition the prison guards were in. Being on the receiving end of Azula's wrath usually didn't end well for anyone. And to escape the security he had placed her under…he was sure it hadn't been pretty.

Aang looked at him with far more seriousness than should ever be seen on a young teenager's face. The boy knew the gravity of the situation. Katara had filled them all in on the fact that Azula had escaped.

"What now, Zuko?" the airbender asked.

"I have my forces combing the city for her, but my guess is that she's long gone," he stated. "I think we should go back to the palace, regroup, and come up with a plan."

Aang and the others started to agree when the pounding footsteps of another messenger approached at a run. The messenger's face was deathly pale.

"My lord," the man breathed, "Lady Mai…has been found dead."

* * *

Dawn was approaching by the time Zuko entered Mai's room. The place where he and Mai had shared happy memories smelled of death. The metallic hint of dried blood hung thick in the air. Bile rose in his throat at the scent. He was certainly no stranger to death…but this, this was different. Servants had covered the young woman's body with a silk sheet by the time he arrived, and it was all he could do to enter the room.

Mai's parents stood off to the side. Her mother's eyes were red and puffy, and she held a silk kerchief to her nose, as if she could ward off the death in the air. Her father looked sad…and angry.

_NOW her parents show emotion over her? Agni, if only they had shown they cared before…before this. I think she believed they cared nothing for her._

He forced himself to approach the shell of the woman who had once been Mai. The sheet draped gracefully over her slender form, and he reached out to a corner of the fabric. He lifted the material back enough to see her face. Someone had taken the time to close her eyelids. He reached out to her skin. If she hadn't felt so unnaturally cold, he could have told himself she was asleep. The horrors of death had set in, however. Her body had become stiff in the hours after her passing. He cupped her cheek and traced her jaw, which was now unmovable.

He felt a tear slide unbidden down his cheek. In spite of the arguments they had been through, he had loved her. Perhaps not enough to continue their romantic relationship, but he had admired her strength of will. He remembered her self-sacrificing actions to save him at the Boiling Rock. She had been his _friend._ He gently replaced the sheet.

He looked at the guards who had dealt with her body after the discovery.

His voice quivered with rage as he put a question to them. "Who did this? How did she die?"

In his heart, he knew the answer. Mai would not have gone down easily. She would have quickly dispatched a lesser opponent. There was only one person who could have done this. And that person had escaped prison last night.

The guards stuttered. "Her…her chest, m'lord…"

With that, Zuko pulled the sheet back from the unmoving woman before him.

He knew what he would find, but he needed to reconcile it in his mind. A large, gaping burn mark filled her chest. He quickly replaced the covering. He had his answer.

Another guard entered the room. With a quick bow to Zuko, he held a wrinkled, blood-stained piece of parchment out to the Fire Lord. Amid the blood smears, characters spelled out a simple phrase.

_Sozin's Fist shall crush you._

His mind whirled. He recognized his sister's penmanship, even though the message was hastily scrawled out. What did it mean? It appeared to be a threat, but it didn't make any sense. Amid his confusion, he realized that the guard was holding out another object to him. It was one of Mai's knives…and it was covered in blood. Grim satisfaction filled him as he realized that Mai had gotten a shot in before succumbing to death. In a strange way, it gave him a measure of peace.

He rose to his feet, and slowly exited the room, giving one last glance to Mai.

_I promise you, I will bring her to justice._

* * *

Several hours later, Zuko knelt in front of the turtle duck pond feeling lost and alone. His uncle was not due to arrive for another two days. He needed a dose of Iroh's tea and wisdom right now. Absently breaking a piece of bread off a loaf for the hungry waterfowl, his thoughts turned to Mai.

_I didn't even get to apologize._

_If I can't make peace in my own life, how can I bring peace to the world?_

Light footsteps approached him from behind, and a figure in blue settled herself beside him. They sat in companionable silence, and Zuko handed the waterbender part of the bread so she could join in feeding the turtle ducks.

He stared ahead and a rueful smile came to his lips.

"I always loved this place. My mother and I would sit here and feed the turtle ducks. After she disappeared, I would come out here and…and talk to her," he admitted. "Of course, Azula caught me talking to myself one day and would never let me live it down."

Katara finished with her piece of bread, and leaned back, resting her hands on the soft grass.

"I'm glad that you had a place where you could be with her," she said softly. "I didn't really have a place, but I carry a part of my mother with me…always."

Zuko looked at her knowingly, and his lip quirked up into a small smile. "Your necklace," he observed.

"Yes. I never saw her without it, so when I see it, I feel like she's close to me," she explained, reaching a delicate hand to the pendant.

The turtle ducks finished mopping up the bread crumbs, and began to disperse across the pond once again. A soft breeze blew through the garden, and the leaves of the cherry trees whispered in the wind.

"Katara, I didn't get to apologize to her," he said suddenly.

The waterbender's eyebrow lifted. She seemed to sense he wasn't talking about his mother any longer.

"Zuko, look at me," she demanded. "You can't dwell on that. I think – I _know_ – Mai would have forgiven you. She was a woman of honor, and despite your fight, she admired and cared for you. That transcends the words of a careless fight. Even now, she is in the Spirit World, and she knows that you cared for her in return, and that you will bring Azula to justice."

The young Fire Lord held back the hot tears that pricked at his eyes.

"How do you do it?" he asked.

"Do what?" she replied in bewilderment.

"You always know the exact right thing to say. My uncle has that gift too. I never know the right thing to say," he said with a hint of frustration.

He saw Katara's lip quirk. "Yeah, Sokka told me about the 'silver sandwich'."

Zuko groaned and placed his head in his palm.

"But you know what Zuko? When it comes to _doing_ the right thing, you've really been coming through lately," she assured him. "Actions speak louder than words," she finished.

"Thanks Katara," he said with a small smile. "I needed to hear that."

"Zuko?" she inquired. She waited until he looked at her to continue. "What's going to happen now?"

The young Fire Lord sighed. "I assume you've already figured that the search for my mother will have to be postponed," he said with sadness.

Katara nodded.

"Uncle is already on his way back here. I want to show him Azula's note to see if he can make any sense of it," he said.

"I am hoping that Uncle will take temporarily take over my duties here in the capital while I search for Azula, and-"

Katara cut him off. "Zuko, you can't possibly be thinking of facing her alone?" she asked incredulously.

He gave her a wry smile. "Actually, I was hoping you could help me with that. Instead of joining me to search for my mother, will you join me to search for Azula? We make a pretty good Azula take-down team," he observed.

A look of determination came over Katara's features. "It would be my pleasure."

* * *

Shortly before his uncle's arrival, Zuko had prepared a table in his study with a tea set. He set everything out, but waited for his uncle to arrive to make the tea. Zuko's tea lacked the…drinkability of his uncle's.

He heard the door open, and the gray-haired general stepped in. Zuko stood and embraced his uncle.

"My nephew, I am sorry for your loss. She was a brave woman," he said simply.

"Thank you, uncle," he replied as he attempted to hide his emotion. He couldn't say any more on the subject.

Iroh seated himself, and quietly prepared the tea. Zuko waited until they each had a steaming teacup, and reached into his robes for the note his sister had left.

"Uncle, this note was found in Mai's residence, after…" he trailed off. "Azula wrote it, but I don't know if it has any meaning. It's obviously a threat, but I need to know if there's more to it," he finished, passing the wrinkled paper to his uncle.

Iroh looked at the mysterious parchment, and his brows furrowed in worry.

"What is it, Uncle? Do you know what this means?" Zuko inquired.

"She knows…" Iroh said quietly.

"Knows _what_, Uncle?" the young Fire Lord asked, beginning to lose patience.

Iroh sighed.

"Long ago, when I was heir to the throne, my father, Fire Lord Azulon, hinted at a great secret – a secret that was only known to the Fire Lord."

Zuko's single eyebrow rose to his hairline.

"And you didn't tell me this earlier because…?" Zuko asked, mildly insulted.

Iroh reached for his teacup, but for once seemed too worried to even take a sip. That did not bode well.

"Because I thought there was no longer a secret. Azulon was a suspicious old man who was caught up in the legends of old. I dismissed the talk of a great treasure and a "key" to the ultimate mastery of firebending as a legend. None of my travels, including those into the Spirit World, indicated that there was such a threat to the world," he said wearily. "I was aware that Azulon had searched without success."

Iroh finally took a sip of his tea, and set his cup down with a soft clatter. "The fact that Ozai must have known is disturbing. The secret was passed from Fire Lord to Fire Lord. Since Azulon met an untimely demise, Ozai should not have known, since it was I who was next in line for the throne." He sighed. "He must have discovered the secret somehow, and passed on his knowledge to Azula."

Zuko fixed his stare on the aging general. "Uncle, what do you know?"

Iroh turned his gaze out the window, staring at the setting sun. "This history goes back thousands of years – back to the fall of the Sun Warriors and the rise of the first Fire Lord. There is a hidden history. Your tutors surely told you the story of their defeat and subsequent extinction, and you now know that a few survived and continue their civilization in secret, but there is another story I must tell you."

Zuko looked at his uncle with an expression of confusion. _There is more to the history of the Sun Warriors?_

He let his uncle continue. "In the history you are familiar with, a sect of the Sun Warriors broke off and migrated to a new land to start a new civilization – what would eventually become our Fire Nation. In the written history, the Sun Warriors decided that the new Fire Lord was gaining too much power and influence and decided to end him. The Sun Warriors mounted an invasion of what is now our capital city, and Taro, the first Fire Lord, defeated them and earned his right to rule."

"I know all of this, Uncle! What does this have to do with-" Zuko's protest was cut off as Iroh continued.

"This account of history is false. In the true histories, which are buried deep within the Dragon Bone Catacombs, you will discover that the Sun Warriors never invaded the city. The Fire Lord knew of a weapon the Sun Warriors possessed, and he wanted it for himself. He decided to eradicate the Sun Warriors and take possession of the weapon."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "Even our ancient ancestors were evil?"

Iroh ignored his question and continued his telling of the story.

"This weapon was said to increase a firebender's power tenfold. Thousands of years before the Fire Nation came into existence, what would eventually be called Sozin's Comet passed through the sky, as it does every 100 years. However, on one of these passes, a piece of the comet broke off and fell to the earth. Knowing that the comet increased a firebender's power, the ancient Sun Warriors mounted a quest to find the fallen pieces of the comet. They found a piece of this fiery stone from the sky, and had it mounted into a ring. The wearer of this treasure was said to experience greater firebending power than even the day of the comet's passing could give."

Zuko's eyes widened. If Azula found such a weapon…he couldn't finish the thought.

"As was bound to happen, various power-hungry people came into possession of this weapon." His brow furrowed. "It was said that even a fully realized Avatar had difficulty in subduing these threats," his uncle paused as Zuko's eyes widened at that news. "Great civil wars broke out throughout the years, and finally after the last defeat of the weapon's bearer, the ring was hidden. There were even rumors that it had been destroyed."

"And was it?" Zuko asked.

"That brings me back to the beginning of our nation. Taro knew of the weapon and wanted it for himself. He knew the Sun Warriors were a threat, and he wanted them out of the way. He invaded and killed every single Sun Warrior…or so he thought. As you know, a few survived and are carrying on the Sun Warrior traditions. Eventually, Taro found the former hiding place of the weapon – but it was missing – and several key members of the Sun Warriors had not been located among the dead. Taro knew they had escaped with the weapon and a very large treasure of gold artifacts. He mounted a search, but never found them. The story was passed down through the generations of Fire Lords. Some took it as truth, and searched relentlessly, while others dismissed it as legend."

The elder man's eyebrows furrowed as a troubled look came over his face. "I had always dismissed it as legend, but perhaps there is some truth to it. We cannot risk Azula getting her hands on the weapon _or_ the treasure. She knows something, and she is not one to chase legends down," he said with a wry look.

Zuko gave his uncle a mirthless smile. It was _he_ who was the one to chase down a legend – the Avatar. And that legend had been truth.

"Zuko, you must follow her," Iroh said steadily.

"Uncle, where do I start?" Zuko asked helplessly.

"Might I suggest the Catacombs? That is where the true histories lie. If the secret exists, the first clue will be there," he replied.

Zuko abruptly stood and walked out of the room, and his uncle followed close on his heels after one more longing look at the still-steaming teapot.

* * *

Zuko never had liked the Dragon Bone Catacombs. He supposed his dislike of the dark corridors had begun when Azula had dared him to go in alone as a child. Rather than risk her ridicule, he had risen to the challenge. He knew his father had forbidden them from entering the secret tunnels, but he didn't want to appear weak to Azula. Of course, he should have known it was all a set-up. Even at the age of six, his sister was cold and calculating. She had run to Ozai to inform him that Zuko had disobeyed his orders and entered the catacombs. Although it didn't even come close to the worst punishment his father had doled out, he still didn't relish the memory.

Now, Zuko entered the area as Fire Lord. The sages bowed to him as he passed. His uncle's footsteps followed closely behind him as they traversed deeper into the maze of tunnels. He brushed a cobweb out of his face as he turned into yet another corridor.

He stopped, and his uncle nearly plowed into him. "Uncle, I don't even know where to begin looking!"

Iroh looked thoughtful. "We should start in Sozin's tomb. After the defeat of the other nations at his hand, the mythical weapon was nicknamed 'Sozin's Fist', since interest in the myth had been renewed."

Zuko nodded and retraced the path he had already taken not so long ago. Then, it had been a quest to discover the truth about his great-grandfather. Now, his quest was to discover the truth about a legend.

They entered the tomb, and it looked the same as he remembered. He doubted anyone had been in here since his departure a few months ago. He walked over to the scrolls chronicling his ancestor's life, but stopped short of opening them. He had already been through them – he knew what was contained in those scrolls.

"This isn't going to be obvious, is it?" he asked Iroh wearily.

The general sighed. "I'm afraid not. It's been the most well-kept secret of our family…and our family has many secrets. There must be some sort of clue for the future generations, though."

They poked around the dusty room, tapping at various stones to look for hidden compartments. After a long while, they still came up empty. Zuko growled in frustration, letting loose a small punch of flame. He looked down at his still-smoking fist.

_Fist. Sozin's Fist._

"Uncle! The statue of Sozin!" he said excitedly.

Iroh looked at him strangely.

"You said that after Sozin's victory, the weapon was nicknamed 'Sozin's Fist'," he stated.

Comprehension came over the elder's face, and the two men stepped over to the statue to investigate. Zuko saw that the stone figure's hands were forever frozen in the form of a fist. He ran his hands over the sculpture, and felt something on the underside. He worked his finger over it, shot a small blast of flame at it, and was finally rewarded with the sound of stone moving on stone. The top of the stone hand was released, and a hidden compartment was revealed.

Inside was a single piece of parchment.

Zuko ran his golden eyes over the words. Four words. _This is it?_

The parchment simply read, "_Desolation is the Key_."

"What does it mean, Uncle?" he asked with a hint of frustration.

The Fire Lord was relieved to see comprehension on Iroh's face.

His uncle spoke. "I have an idea, but I think we should gather some friends and tell them what is going on first."

* * *

Azula breathed in the salty air as her small boat neared her destination. The perpetual fog made navigation difficult, and she forced herself to concentrate as she made out the shapes of jagged rocks. She narrowly missed one, and only turned away at the last second because she heard the pounding of the surf on the stone. She never did see the obstacle.

After an exhausting hour of working her way through the maze of jagged rocks, she was finally able to relax as she neared the island. She aimed for the small harbor, and now that she was in the lee of the wind, she could let her guard down.

Her journey had been long and difficult. After dispatching her former friend, she had quickly fled to the docks of the Fire Nation harbor, where she had stowed away on a passenger ship bound for the shores of the Earth Kingdom. She had lingered for a few days in the port city, stealing what she needed to survive. After regaining some strength, she had stolen this small ship in the dead of night. The voyage hadn't taken long, which was lucky, since she had only managed to bring a few loaves of bread, some dried meat, and three large water skins as nourishment. The only other object she had aside from the clothes on her back was the map her father had entrusted to her long ago.

"_Azula, this map is the key to a great secret. In the unlikely event of my demise, you must follow this map."_

_She had scoffed at the idea of her father's defeat. He was the greatest firebender in the world._

"_Father, no one will defeat you," she said lightly._

_Her sire had gifted her with a small smile, although there was no warmth in it. Strange how a firebender's expression could be so full of ice._

"_True, my daughter, but I wish for you to have this knowledge. Listen to me, Azula. Knowledge is power. Arm yourself with it. Never reject knowledge, even if you think you will never need it."_

Her gaze remained steadily on the horizon as she reflected on the long-ago conversation. Her father had been right. Knowledge was power, and this map that she thought she would never need to use had become her lifeline. He had gone on to tell her that it was the key to finding a secret weapon. She tried not to be discouraged by the fact that generations of Fire Lords had attempted to find it and failed.

There was more to the secret besides the weapon, however. Her father had discovered that Sozin _had_ found part of the great treasure, and had hidden it away with a secret army in preparation for the worst. Sadly, the weapon had eluded him. Azula felt resolve come over her. She would not fail in this. She would find the key to ultimate power, and she would bring the world under her fist. She would fulfill the destiny laid out by Sozin.

She had already sent a messenger hawk to the man her father entrusted to enact the secret military if it was ever needed. He should have received the missive a week prior, and by now should be well on his way to an Earth Kingdom port, where he would begin his mission. According to her father's instructions, she would need to meet the man in a month's time from the day she sent the first missive at a Fire Nation colony on the southwestern coast of the Earth Kingdom. In the meantime, she was to make a visit to Desolation Island to recover some sort of "key".

She wished she was wearing her armor and her royal hair ornament. The warden of the prison would be somewhat difficult to convince of her royal status when she was dressed in Earth Kingdom rags. At least she had been able to rid herself of the prison clothes. Even dressed in rags, she still carried herself as royalty. She hoped the warden was someone who would recognize her on sight. If not, she would have to gain entrance the hard way. Her fingers burned in anticipation.

She brought the boat ashore, and surveyed the seemingly abandoned facility. She knew that it was designed to look abandoned. Her boots beat a staccato rhythm on the wooden dock as she strode toward the nearest building, and when she reached the structure, she blasted the door open.

A thin, greasy-looking man cowered before her.

"P-princess Azula!" he stammered, "What brings you here?" He prostrated himself before her.

Relieved that the man recognized her, she stared him down as he took in her disheveled appearance. The princess knew he questioned her sudden appearance in his mind, but he was too cowardly to confront her. The look on his face told her he was suspicious.

"It is no concern of yours," she replied easily, relishing the familiar feeling of command.

She looked around curiously. "Tell me, are there still prisoners held here?" she inquired.

"Y-yes, princess. Would you like a tour of the facility?" he asked.

Azula considered. As much as she hated to admit it, she wasn't quite sure what she was looking for. A tour of the island would be a start.

She sighed. "Very well. Show me your little prison."

A short time later, Azula was being led through the dark corridors of the prison. The stench of unwashed bodies filled her nostrils. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. If despair had a scent, this would be it.

"These are the people the Fire Nation wishes to erase from existence," the warden explained. "Death was too good for them, and so they rot here. I was entrusted with the task of making sure they stay forgotten." There was a hint of pride in his voice.

Azula peered into some of the cells. When she came upon a cell that was significantly larger than the others, her curiosity was piqued. A woman with raven hair sat up on her cot and peered back at her with piercing golden eyes. Her features were noble, although she was dressed in rags. A few objects were placed around the room, including a family portrait. Recognition flew through Azula's mind, more shocking than any lightning would ever be.

"Mother?"


	3. Hello, Goodbye

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

* * *

_The story of life is quicker than the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye._  
-Jimi Hendrix

* * *

**Author's Note: **My apologies for taking so long. Life has been crazy! Again, thank you to all who reviewed and favorited!

* * *

**Chapter 2: Hello, Goodbye**

* * *

Iroh and Zuko had called the small group of warriors and friends together to inform them of the latest threat to the world. While the two Fire Nation royals had waited for everyone to appear, Iroh explained his knowledge of Desolation Island to Zuko.

The retired general spoke, his brows furrowed in worry. "My father told me that the place had long since been abandoned; in fact, I visited the place many years ago – back before the Siege of Ba Sing Se. The only occupants of the island were vulture-crows and spider-ants, and one caretaker." He looked troubled. "Ozai must have somehow learned about the place and re-instated it as a prison."

Zuko's eyes flashed as he looked up at the older man. "Uncle, do you think that…that he sent her…?" He trailed off, unable to finish.

Suddenly Iroh looked weary beyond his years. "I do not know, Zuko. It is certainly possible. I don't want you to get your hopes up too high. They may very well be crushed upon your arrival. Your goal will be to find this key. Perhaps it will also be the key to finding your mother."

The young Fire Lord merely nodded. He accepted his uncle's wisdom, but could not squelch the hope that bubbled up in him.

His thoughts were brought to the problem at hand when his companions burst through the door. Even in such a dire situation, he had to stifle a laugh. Toph and Aang must have been in the middle of sparring when the meeting was called. The earthbender was covered in her usual "healthy layer of earth", but Aang was covered in far more mud. The usually easy-going Avatar looked quite disgruntled. His expression soured even more as Toph once again proclaimed herself the greatest earthbender in the world.

He met Katara's blue eyes, and he saw the amusement on her face as well.

He sighed as he realized he was about to ruin the lighthearted mood of his companions. He and Iroh greeted the group, and no time was wasted as they launched into an explanation of what had been found thus far. Their expressions fell as they listened.

"So what you're saying is that Azula escaped, and has knowledge of an ancient secret weapon AND knows more about its location than we do?" the young airbender asked, throwing his arms up in the air out of frustration. His thirteen year-old voice held more weariness than that of a much older man. He had just defeated the Fire Lord – in his young innocence, he had thought that would solve all of the world's problems. It was quickly becoming clear to him that ending the war was only the beginning of his duties as Avatar.

Zuko looked at the concerned faces surrounding him. Katara and Sokka stood next to Aang. Their blue eyes also held worry, but he could see the determination in the steely blue depths. Suki and Ty Lee stood next to the Water Tribe siblings, already prepared to fight in their Kyoshi warrior uniforms. Toph stood off to the side. She looked the least worried out of all of them; she was…well, she was Toph. Her unseeing green eyes held confidence. His uncle stood at his side. Iroh had been able to fill in any missing holes in the tale he had just told his friends. Zuko bit back a sigh. The only person missing was Mai. She would have been standing next him, outwardly showing boredom, but her stalwart spirit would have been eager to defend him and the Fire Nation. He tried not to think about the funeral that would be held the following morning.

Zuko met the Avatar's eyes. "Yes, Aang," he said. "I'm sorry, I should have posted more guards, I should have-"

Katara's voice cut into his words. "No, Zuko. You can't do this. We all thought the security was enough, but Azula…is Azula. She would have found a way no matter what. Don't blame yourself," she commanded.

He still felt guilty, but he knew better than to argue with the blue-eyed waterbender. Sometimes he thought she would have made a good earthbender – she certainly had the stubbornness for it.

"Uncle and I have been discussing a plan, but I need all of you. We need to split up our resources," he stated.

"What do you suggest we do?" Aang asked.

"First, I need you and Toph to contact the Sun Warriors. You have to ask if they have any information about the weapon. They may also need your protection. I have a feeling Azula might pay them a visit," he said darkly. "I chose you two for this mission because you've been there before, Aang. They know you – you know how untrusting they are. Toph can help you avoid booby traps this time," he said, his lips cracking into a slight smile. "And I trust you two to help protect them from Azula."

"Uncle, Sokka, Suki, and Ty Lee will stay in the capital and protect the palace city. Uncle will take over running the day to day government operations, while the rest of you wait and listen for any hint of espionage or attack. Suki, do you think you can recruit any more Kyoshi warriors to come to the Fire Nation?" he asked.

"We're spread a little thin right now, but I'm sure I can bring a few more warriors over here," she said.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "Katara and I will be following Azula's trail."

The young Fire Lord did not miss the subtle narrowing of the Avatar's eyes at this news.

"Both of us are familiar with Azula's fighting style. We've taken her down before – we can do it again."

Zuko cringed when Aang protested. He had half-expected it, but he had hoped that Aang would put his personal feelings aside.

"Katara, I don't think you should-" he began, his gray eyes narrow.

"I shouldn't _what_, Aang?" Katara interrupted dangerously, putting her hands on her hips.

The young Avatar looked nearly ready to explode. "She's dangerous, Katara. I think it's best that you stay here. Maybe I can-" he trailed off as he took in the livid expression on the waterbender's face.

Katara's eyes flashed in anger. "Aang, I think we need to talk. _Alone._"

The rest of the group watched the exchange in silence, and breathed a sigh of relief when the two benders stood and exited the room.

Casting one last glance to the door, Zuko continued laying out the plan.

"So here's what we need to do…"

* * *

"Aang, what is your problem?" Katara demanded.

"_My_ problem? You're the one that wants to chase Azula around the world with Zuko!" the airbender exclaimed, a rush of air escaping as he threw his arms up for emphasis.

"Are you worried that I'm going after Azula? Or that I'm going with _Zuko?_" she asked pointedly.

"I-that you're-" he floundered.

Katara crossed her arms and glared at him. "Answer the question, Aang."

She watched as his face seemed to crumple. "Both, actually."

Katara felt every muscle in her body tighten.

"You can't control me, Aang! I'm not some prize that you won in the war! I won't be told where to go, what to do, or with whom I can go! I-" she growled in frustration as she turned her back to him.

"Katara?" he asked quietly.

After some hesitation, she turned to face him. "What?"

"I just…I feel like I've already put you in so much danger through the war. Danger you shouldn't have been in. I'm the Avatar. It's my duty to protect you."

Katara felt her expression soften a bit.

"Putting myself in danger was _my _choice – and my choice alone. I know you worry about me, but you can't hold me back. I will do what I can to help the world. You need to learn to let me go," she said softly.

The airbender's eyes widened at her last statement, as if they were words he had heard before.

"I know," he replied. "I just…can't."

Katara stepped closer to him and took his hands into her own. "Aang, I don't know if this is the best thing for either of us. I need some time to think."

Before he could reply, she continued speaking.

"I'm going with Zuko to find Azula," she said with finality. She leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, and walked back into the palace, leaving a stunned Aang in her wake.

* * *

"Mother?"

The prisoner's head snapped up, and her mouth opened in shock at seeing her daughter – the daughter she had not seen in several years.

"Azula?" she asked breathlessly. Her voice was weak from disuse.

The younger woman's face morphed from open surprise into the hard mask she was accustomed to. She crossed her arms.

"So this is where he hid you away," she stated.

Ursa could not hide her reaction. "You…knew I was alive?"

"I suspected you were, although I wasn't certain," she said casually. She had completely hidden away her initial shock at finding her mother, and had settled comfortably back into her persona. "Zuzu, on the other hand, thought you were dead," she said, a cruel tone in her voice.

She didn't miss the longing in her mother's eyes at the mention of her brother. Azula's eyes narrowed.

She turned to the warden, who was trying to stand unnoticed in the corner.

Azula spoke to him, an air of command in her voice. "You will release her into my custody. She comes with me."

"Yes, princess," the greasy man acknowledged. He took the key ring from his belt and fumbled for the correct key. The fire princess rolled her eyes. The man's hands were shaking, and he was having difficulty with the lock. Shoving the scrawny man aside, she grasped the key and turned it in the rusty lock. The door reluctantly swung open; the metal grated on the stone floor.

Her mother stepped toward her with open arms, obviously intending to embrace her.

"Don't touch me!" she screeched, her stony façade crumbling for a moment. She shot a small fire blast toward the older woman, who ducked and crumbled to the floor.

Ursa looked up at her daughter with sorrow in her gaze.

"Oh, Azula…what did he do to you?"

* * *

In the evening following Mai's funeral, the small group of young warriors assembled in a courtyard within the walls of the palace. Zuko had been grateful to have his group of friends standing behind him at the somber affair that morning. It was a memorial befitting a member of Fire Nation nobility. Zuko had stood in silent grief as the Fire Sages lit the funeral pyre. He watched as the flames hungrily consumed Mai's shrouded body. When it was over, he continued to stare numbly at the remaining ash that had once been someone he had cared for deeply. It wasn't until he felt Katara's hesitant hand on his arm that he allowed himself to turn away. He was glad that the rest of the day had been spent busily preparing for their departure. He hadn't had time to dwell on it.

Appa lazily consumed piles of hay placed in front of him as Momo chattered and climbed all over the great beast. Aang and Toph stood next to the sky bison, their personal effects already loaded into the saddle. Some distance behind Appa, a war balloon stood at the ready. Zuko and Katara would make use of the contraption, as travel by air would be faster than travel by sea.

Iroh and Sokka stood in the courtyard as well. Suki and Ty Lee had already said their goodbyes. They were following up on a lead that one of Zuko's spies had reported early that morning. A traitorous soldier had been caught attempting to send a missive to Azula. Sadly, it contained no direct information regarding Azula's whereabouts, but the messenger hawk had been bound for an intermediary who was to send the scroll on to the Fire Princess. Suki and Ty Lee were now on their way to find the intermediary.

The Fire Lord embraced his uncle, and Katara hugged Sokka one last time before departing. Katara turned to Toph, and gave the earthbender a hug that was reluctantly returned.

"Try not to get yourself killed, Sugar Queen," Toph admonished. Katara smiled. She knew that was about the biggest show of affection she would get from the girl. The waterbender braced herself for the fond punch the earthbender was about to throw at her. Toph looked mildly perturbed when Katara didn't flinch at her blow.

"You too, Toph. Keep Aang safe," she said quietly.

Before she knew it, she and Aang had come face to face. They stood awkwardly for a moment, not knowing what to say to one another. She looked down at the ground, twisting the toe of her boot in the loose dirt.

The airbender broke the silence.

"Be careful, Katara," he said, a wistful tone in his voice.

"I will, Aang. You too…be careful, I mean," she said haltingly. She could feel the curious gazes of her friends on her back.

The two benders wrapped their arms around one another. "Katara, I'm sorry," Aang said with sorrow.

"I know, Aang. I'm sorry I yelled at you. But – I meant what I said. And I think this is best for both of us," she said softly.

She turned from him and walked over to Zuko's side with purpose, trying to put Aang's stunned, heartbroken expression from her mind. It was all she could do to not turn around and comfort him.

She placed her spare water skin into the war balloon, and felt a great rush of air as Appa left the ground behind. She looked up at the retreating sky bison, an odd feeling coming over her. It was strange to see Appa leaving her behind. Zuko startled her as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked, his forehead furrowed in concern.

"Yeah…it's just strange to see Appa leaving without me," she said as way of explanation.

He gave a rueful snort of laughter. "The hind end of that bison is certainly a sight I'm used to," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

She gave him a weak smile. "We were pretty good at leaving _you_ behind."

They said their final goodbyes to Iroh and Sokka and boarded the balloon. Zuko blasted flame into the furnace, and soon they were airborne.

When they had gained enough altitude, Zuko shut the door of the furnace and went to stand by the waterbender, who was staring down at the water below them.

"What was up with you and Aang?" he asked, wondering at the odd behavior of his friends. He knew things had been a little strained between the two, but that whole exchange was just…strange.

Katara's face seemed to crumble, and Zuko mentally slapped his forehead.

_I'm still not good at this friend stuff._

He attempted to take back his question. "Sorry…I didn't realize-"

Katara cut him off. "It's okay, Zuko. When I left with him during the meeting yesterday, I told him that I didn't think things were going to work out…with us. I told him I needed time to think."

Zuko's eyes widened. He couldn't imagine that the young Avatar had taken the news well. He was obviously smitten with the waterbender. Something akin to relief washed through him at the news, and he tried to squash the feeling as quickly as it came up. He felt guilt rise from deep within himself. He didn't want to admit to himself _why _he felt relief. Neither he nor Katara spoke again as they watched land disappear over the horizon.

* * *

After making a brief stop in an Earth Kingdom town for supplies, the Fire Lord and the waterbender approached their first stop. They had been delayed for nearly a week due to a violent storm that had engulfed the entire region. The two benders had been able to fly only short distances at a time, essentially hopping from island to island as they neared the Earth Kingdom. Thankfully the storm had finally subsided. Neither had been in a good mood, and more than a few arguments had broken out between them. Their foul dispositions had evaporated with the storm, however, as they were once again able to move toward their destination.

Zuko held the map his uncle had given him; the map provided the location of Desolation Island. The small piece of land was not noted on most nautical charts. First, the island was barely large enough to include on a map; second, the succession of Fire Lords had worked to keep the isolated land a secret.

As they soared over the water, dense fog overcame them. Katara gracefully started sweeping her arms, and the mist began to part before them. They were low enough in the sky that they could hear the surf pounding against the jagged rocks below.

_Had Azula really been able to reach this place?_

"Look!" Katara's voice suddenly pierced the silence.

An island, barely larger than the other rocks that pierced the water's surface, had come into view. A series of buildings covered most of the area of the island; a small dock jutted out into a small cove. Zuko brought the balloon down to the spot where the dock met the land.

They exited the balloon, and walked toward the largest building. As Zuko and Katara stepped up to the entrance of the main building, they noticed scorch marks on the door.

"She's already been here," Zuko observed. His companion merely nodded in reply.

They stepped inside the building, and glanced around for any sign of occupancy. They heard footsteps running down a hallway toward them, and immediately took up bending stances. When the source of the sound, a single man, came bursting into the room, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Zuko.

Katara took an immediate dislike to the man. He had narrow little eyes and a pointed nose, which gave him the appearance of a rat-weasel. His hair hung in greasy dark strands, as if he cared nothing about personal hygiene. If the odor emanating from him was any indication, that was certainly the case. However, the cause of her dislike toward the man came not from his appearance, but from the air of cruelty about him. He seemed to be a man who enjoyed making others miserable. After all, who else would Ozai have appointed to preside over such a place?

"Prince Zuko," he began with thinly veiled contempt, "What brings you to my island?"

Zuko stared the man down. "That would be _Fire Lord_ Zuko to you. Which would make this _my_ island. I presume you are the warden?"

At Zuko's words, the man's beady eyes flew up to the crown atop the young Fire Lord's head. Apparently Azula hadn't related that particular news to the warden. Although Katara wouldn't have thought it possible, his skin became even paler. "My apologies, my lord! News is slow to reach an island as remote as this," he said desperately, prostrating himself before Zuko.

Zuko ignored the man's back pedaling response. He wasn't interested in punishing the man; he was interested in figuring out his sister's next move.

"My sister was here," he stated flatly. The man nodded slightly. "When?" he demanded.

"N-nearly two weeks ago, my lord," the warden stammered.

"Take me everywhere she visited in this prison," Zuko commanded.

A few minutes later, the Fire Lord and the waterbender followed the warden through the dank hallways of the prison. Katara averted her gaze from the poor souls who stared at her with haunted eyes set in skeletal faces. The smell of the place alone was enough to turn her stomach. The smell of unwashed bodies, rotten food, and human waste was overwhelming. She felt a small measure of relief when Zuko took her hand and gave it a small squeeze of reassurance. He would release these people – most likely they were innocent – from this wretched place.

Katara nearly smashed into Zuko's back when he stopped short. They stood before a cell that was larger than the others, although it was certainly no more luxurious. A simple cot was positioned in a corner, and the room was sparsely littered with objects – a wash bowl in one corner, a nearly-spent candle next to the cot, melted and cooled wax surrounding it. Aside from its larger size, the other glaring difference between this cell and the others was that it was devoid of prisoners. Something lying on the ground seemed to catch Zuko's eye, and he stepped inside to pick it up. He started to reach for it, but paused. Katara watched in alarm as his fist clenched, and smoke began to curl out from it.

He suddenly ran out of the cell with a look of pure rage on his face. Katara jumped back in horror as Zuko grabbed the warden by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

"She was HERE! You had her! Where did my sister take her?" he screamed in the man's face.

"I-I don't…know…" the warden stuttered.

Zuko's voice became a dangerous growl. "You _will_ tell me where she went, you despicable piece of…" he trailed off as his other palm suddenly became alight with flame. Katara watched the scene before her as it seemed to unfold in slow motion. She hadn't seen Zuko _this_ out of control since his frenzied attacks under Ba Sing Se. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what to do.

Swallowing her fear, she stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"Zuko," she said softly. "Don't. It will get us nowhere." She took hold of his forearm, carefully avoiding the flame that still burned in his hand, and she sighed in relief when he closed his fist and extinguished the fire.

He slackened his grip on the man, but still fixed a steady glare on him.

"I want _any_ information you have," he ordered. He finally let go of the warden, who slumped to the ground. "Leave us for a moment," he commanded. The greasy little man slunk out of the Fire Lord's presence, fear written on his face.

Neither Zuko or Katara spoke until they stepped outside into the rainy drizzle.

Katara rounded on Zuko as soon as they were outside. She paid no heed to the rain as it dripped off of her hair.

"Zuko, _what_ is your problem?" she yelled, her voice nearing hysteria. "I thought you were going to…I haven't seen you like that since…" she couldn't finish.

The young firebender felt shame wash through him. He felt no remorse for threatening that vermin of a man, but he was ashamed for acting like that in front of Katara. He had never wanted her to see him like that again. It brought back too many memories of the past.

Suddenly it dawned on him that Katara couldn't have known what set him off.

"Katara, I just found out that my mother was imprisoned there. I'm…sorry I scared you," he admitted. "But I was _so_ close," he hissed, clenching his fists. "And now Azula has her." He closed his eyes as he tried not to think of what Azula would do to their mother. It was no secret that Azula held no love for Ursa, and would not hesitate to use her as a means to an end.

The waterbender's mouth opened slightly in shocked understanding. "Oh. _Oh._"

She threw her arms around him, and he stiffened momentarily, still unaccustomed to the easy contact the Avatar's group shared.

"I'm sorry, Zuko. I should have known you wouldn't go crazy for nothing," she said softly.

"Even so, I shouldn't have-" he began.

She cut him off. "Zuko, I would have done the same thing. I did do the same thing – you were there when I threatened the man who took my mother from me."

He sighed resolutely. "Come on. Let's go find out what we can. At least I probably scared the little rat-weasel into telling me everything he knows," he said with a smirk.

Katara followed him toward the door. "You are pretty good at being intimidating," she said with a weak laugh.

* * *

Mother and daughter sat uncomfortably in the confined cabin of the small ship. The rain outside lashed the hull of the boat as it traveled across open water. Azula had bound her mother's hands with some rough rope, which was all she had available. Ursa was a firebender, and would be able to burn her way out of the bindings if she wanted, but at the very least it would slow her down. As it was, she had nowhere to go, as they were somewhere on the sea off the shores of the Earth Kingdom.

Azula stared stonily at the floorboards of the ship, so the older woman broke the silence.

"Azula, what do you intend to do with me?" she asked wearily.

The girl finally broke her stare at the floor, and looked up at her mother. "I don't know yet. I do know that you will make excellent leverage against Zuzu. I think he would do just about anything to see his dear mother alive," she said with an edge of cruelty.

Her keen golden eyes didn't miss the wistfulness on her mother's face at the mention of her older brother. She laughed.

"Oh yes, I know you wish it had been little Zuzu that had found you. It certainly would have been a tearful, happy reunion!" she gushed. She gave another mirthless laugh. "Oh, just wait until you see the scar father gave him!"

Azula felt a wave of triumph as her mother's eyes widened in horror. So she didn't know.

"I suppose you'd like to know what happened. Zuzu spoke out of turn at a war meeting. Father met him in an Agni Kai, and the little weakling wouldn't fight him. So, father burned half of his face and banished him," she said casually. "Father told him he couldn't come back home unless he captured the Avatar. Of course, at the time, no one believed the Avatar even existed anymore."

The younger Fire Princess felt satisfaction at _finally_ seeing true anger on her mother's face. Provoking her mother had been a game of hers ever since she could remember. She mentally scored a point for herself.

"The traitor ended up joining the Avatar. He and that waterbending pet of his challenged me. I almost defeated him, but the little water peasant managed to get the better of me. That's a mistake I won't repeat," she said, seemingly talking to herself now. Ursa got the feeling that her daughter's mind was somewhat unbalanced…even more so than before. As much as she tried to hide it, a tear slid unbidden down her cheek.

"And don't pretend you care about me, Mother. I know you think I'm a monster," she said with venom.

Azula looked away from her mother's face, unprepared for the feelings that rose up at the older woman's anguish.

"Azula, my precious daughter, I do love you," she said, her voice hitching with emotion.

"Save your platitudes for Zuzu. We're nearing our destination. I have some supplies stored away in this town. Then we're going to meet my new army."

With that, she marched up the stairs to the deck of the ship, leaving Ursa to her sorrow in the dank bowels of the vessel.


	4. Revelations

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

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**Author's note: **Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed and favorited. It makes me happy to see people enjoying it! Sorry updates have been a bit slow. Life is busy as usual. I will finish this - it just might take a little while! Thanks for sticking with me!

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_Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love._

-Jane Austen

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**Chapter 3: Revelations**

* * *

Suki and Ty Lee made their way through the industrial district of the Fire Nation capital. It was certainly one of the less…desirable places in the city. The two girls had abandoned their Kyoshi warrior uniforms in favor of something a bit less noticeable. The warriors had donned dark cloaks and pulled the hoods up around their heads. Even so, the young women had still attracted some unwanted attention from some leering men in an alleyway. The three men now lay unconscious behind a pile of garbage.

The streets became less crowded as they neared the address that Ty Lee had scrawled on a piece of parchment. Both girls felt the importance of this mission. So far, this was the only direct lead to Azula that they had. They walked by a series of ramshackle houses; their reflexes were on high alert as they walked through the dangerous area. They heard a gurgling scream nearby that trailed off into silence. A murder had obviously been committed, and the victim would likely rot in a forgotten alley. The two girls were seasoned warriors, and were confident in their ability to take care of themselves. Even so, they shuddered at the grim reality of the place.

They finally reached their destination, and they were dismayed to see the door hanging open. The place looked abandoned. Suki made a series of quick gestures to Ty Lee, who nodded her understanding. Ty Lee went around to the back of the house, while Suki lay in wait at the front of the house. Their quarry would not escape.

Suki quietly crept inside the run-down dwelling. There were signs of recent occupancy. Coal and firewood were stacked by the small stove. A full pail of water sat on the floor of the small kitchen, and a bowl of nuts was placed on the low table in the middle of the room. A pair of dirty boots sat by a chair, waiting for their owner.

The Kyoshi warrior was startled to hear Ty Lee's voice cut through the silence, but her well-honed reflexes kept her from jumping.

"Suki! I…found him. I think you need to come here," Ty Lee's voice carried through the house, lacking its usual brightness.

She tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach as she turned in the direction of her friend's voice, but she knew that nothing good was going to greet her. The smell hit her as she neared the small bedroom. Gnat-flies were buzzing around the room, and distinct smell of the very beginning of decay assaulted her nose.

"Someone beat us here," Ty Lee said dejectedly.

Suki took in the scene before her. A very efficient killer had dispatched the man. There was no sign of struggle; not even the carafe of water on the low table had been disturbed. The victim had an accurate slit across his neck. He would have died very quickly, and without much sound. Whoever had done this obviously wanted to prevent the man from ever giving away any information. And the killer seemed to be long gone.

The Kyoshi leader sighed. "I guess we're back to where we started."

She was surprised to see a suddenly calculating look in her Fire Nation friend's eye.

"Not exactly. We still have the traitor soldier in custody. What if…" she faltered for a second, "what if I try to earn his trust? You know…pretend I'm still loyal to Azula. Say that I'm just playing your side as an agent for Azula? Maybe he has another contact."

Suki looked at the girl's wide eyes. She could see the worry in their depths. "Are you sure about this?"

Ty Lee nodded.

"Let's go. We'll talk about this somewhere less…exposed. We'll ask Iroh to have someone take care of the body," Suki said matter-of-factly.

The two young women made their way back through the industrial district, leaving a couple more over-eager men unconscious in their wake.

* * *

The warden led Zuko and Katara down a dark hall into what appeared to be an office. A fire burned in the hearth, and the ventilation in the room was lacking. Katara unsuccessfully tried to smother a cough, and glared up at Zuko, who seemed to be unaffected by the smoky air. A desk was positioned in front of a window, but the window was so dirty that it barely let in any light. Of course, there wasn't much light to let in. Katara had the feeling the fog blocked out the sun on most days.

"She came in here, my lord, but she did not allow my presence while she searched the room," the warden explained. Katara could see a malicious gleam in his eyes; he certainly wasn't unhappy he had no information to give them.

"Leave us," Zuko commanded.

The man practically slithered out of the room.

"Where do we start?" Katara asked.

The young Fire Lord looked thoughtful. "I'll start searching the desk. Can you start going through those scrolls on the shelf?" he asked.

She nodded an affirmative, and started to walk to the shelf when something caught her eye. A rack of keys hung on the wall, which was unremarkable for a warden's office, but something on the ground gained her attention. The floor was made of a series of flagstones, and it appeared the stone directly below the key rack had been recently disturbed. _A key._

"Zuko, I think you should come look at this," she said, hope rising in her voice. "It might be what we're looking for."

The firebender joined her and saw what she had noticed. It was barely perceptible, but the stone had been moved. There was a bit of dirt surrounding it, and the stone was a tiny fraction off of meeting up with its neighbor. Taking one of his dao swords from its scabbard, he used the weapon to pry the edge of the stone up.

Their hopeful expressions melted into disappointment when they saw empty dirt below the stone. Zuko held the stone up while Katara prodded the dirt with her fingers.

Zuko sighed. "If there was something there, then Azula took it."

"Yeah, I guess so," Katara replied. Her breath caught as her eyes spied the underside of the stone. A grin lit her face. "Then again, maybe she couldn't take it with her."

Zuko looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "Zuko, look underneath the stone!" she implored him, gesturing at it excitedly.

He overturned the stone so he could get a look at it. A map appeared to be engraved in the stone. A new burst of determination flowed through him.

"Do you see a piece of parchment somewhere? And some charcoal?"

The waterbender was already rummaging through a drawer, and her search was quickly rewarded with a blank piece of parchment. Zuko walked over to the fire and extinguished it with a quick gesture. He reached into the hearth and retrieved a piece of charcoal.

After rubbing the charcoal on the paper, they had the map to their next destination.

They exited the room and stepped into the hallway, where the warden was waiting for them.

The man approached them, and Katara looked at him in disgust as he bowed to Zuko. He oozed a false air of respect.

He_ should be the one imprisoned here, _Katara thought bitterly.

"My lord, did you find what you were looking for?" the warden asked, his voice practically dripping with derision.

Katara almost cracked a smile as Zuko stared the man down. The Fire Lord looked at the warden as if he were something to be scraped off the bottom of his boot. _I suppose that haughty royal attitude comes in handy sometimes._

"As a matter of fact, yes," Zuko finally replied.

The warden's throat worked as he swallowed. "Your sister instructed me to give you this when you found what you were looking for," he sneered. He held out a small, sealed piece of parchment.

The firebender took it from him. He slid his finger under the wax seal. His face betrayed no emotion as he read the message contained within.

Wordlessly, he handed it to Katara.

As with Zuko, she outwardly showed no emotion in front of the warden. Inside, her mind whirled with worry.

_Desolation shall be yours._

She watched as the Fire Lord turned toward the warden, and fire came to life in his palm. Her eyes widened.

"You can be assured I will deal with you later. This prison is an abomination," he said quietly. The warden's beady eyes finally widened in fear as Zuko's flame reflected in their shallow depths. Katara stood behind Zuko, merely watching the exchange. The Fire Lord closed his fist, extinguishing the flame, turned on his heel, and walked out of the prison, Katara following in his wake.

Zuko and Katara's war balloon had long since climbed into the gray, foggy sky before either one of them spoke.

Katara's words of apology were the first to cut into the sound of rushing air. "Zuko, I'm sorry again for jumping on you after-"

He looked at her sharply. "Katara, you don't need to keep apologizing. You had no idea…" he trailed off.

They both stared off into the seemingly endless distance of sky. The red rays of sunset were beginning to penetrate the oppressive gray; they would need to find a place to land for the night soon.

Katara heard the Fire Lord exhale a worried sigh. "You're really worried about her, aren't you?"

"You know, it was almost easier when I thought she was gone," he observed ruefully. "I didn't exactly have to worry for her safety. And now Azula has her."

Katara ran her hand absently along the rail of the war balloon. "Azula wouldn't actually hurt her, would she? It's her mother!"

Zuko gave her a long look. "Azula is her father's child."

Katara shuddered at the simple statement. Her mind flashed back to the electric blue glow of lightning headed straight for Zuko's chest.

Zuko continued to stare into the empty space, deep in thought. A look of anger crossed his features. "That's another thing I can't forgive Ozai for. He corrupted Azula. She could have been beautiful and kind – like my mother."

_Like you_, Katara thought, but didn't voice.

"We could have had a sibling relationship like you and Sokka. But…she was a firebending prodigy. And Ozai molded her into his own image."

When he paused, Katara looked over at him, wondering if he was finished speaking. He continued speaking, but his voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper.

"It makes me wonder about what _I_ would have turned out like if I had never spoken out in that war meeting – if I hadn't been banished."

He closed his eyes against the nightmares that had plagued him since becoming Fire Lord. They were more like visions – visions of what could have been. In these other realities, he was cold, cruel – like Ozai. He'd had nightmares of hurting those who now loved him. He always awoke in a cold sweat, and thanked Agni they were only dreams.

"Zuko, listen to me. You can't think about what _might_ have been. We are living in what _is_. You made the right decision and joined us. You defeated your father, and are leading the Fire Nation into an era of peace. Besides, even if you hadn't been banished, I don't think your uncle would have let you turn into your father," she said with a knowing smile.

"I suppose you're right. At any hint of becoming my father, he would have kidnapped me and put me into solitary confinement with tea and a Pai Sho board," he laughed. "And he wouldn't have let me out until I had found the right path…and mastered the White Lotus play."

Katara giggled. "See? He wouldn't have let you down."

Zuko gave her a half-smile and looked out over the darkening horizon once more.

"Zuko?"

He looked back at her, and saw her features furrowed in worry again.

"What is it?" he asked as he readied the balloon for their descent. He pulled on the line that created an opening at the apex of the balloon, and they started to drop.

"I've been thinking. Why is Azula leaving all these clues behind? She left that note at Mai's house that hinted at her goal," she flinched as the firebender's expression saddened at the mention of Mai. "Then she left the flagstone that had the map. It seems that she should have destroyed the stone altogether. Then she left another message for you," she observed, looking him in the eye.

Zuko slowly exhaled. "There's a good reason. Azula doesn't do anything without a purpose."

Katara gave him a curious glance as she moved the rudder of the balloon to guide the vehicle to their landing spot.

"She wants me to find her. And she's banking on the fact that she'll have found the weapon first."

Katara's blue eyes widened, the newly risen moonlight reflecting her fear.

"She wants to defeat me and take her place on the throne. She needs me out of the way for that. I am the firstborn son, and the Fire Nation will not support her claim to the throne now that I have claimed my rightful title. She wants guaranteed success, and she knows she'll need a great advantage for this."

He watched a shudder go through Katara's lithe form. He knew she was imagining a Fire Nation ruled by Azula. It wasn't a pleasant thought.

"Well," the waterbender said, "that just means we have to find it first."

He smiled. She made their task sound so easy. Unfortunately, his sister had a generous head start. It would be nearly impossible to gain the lead in this quest. As it was, they were only stopping for a few hours to get a bit of sleep. They would take off again long before dawn. They did have the advantage of air travel, but Azula still had plenty of time to have already reached their next destination.

The basket of the balloon landed on the dirt with a quiet _thump._

"She won't win, Zuko. We defeated her once, and we'll do it again."

He lightened the mood with a jest.

"You know, I used to think your optimism was annoying, but I kind of enjoy it now," he said with a smirk.

She answered him with a splash of water to the head.

* * *

Ty Lee stood in the shadows outside the imposing prison, trying to bolster her courage to go inside. It was the dead of night. She and Suki had discussed how to make this look convincing in every way possible. That began with her "sneaking" out of the palace for this secretive meeting. No one save herself and Suki knew she was coming here. They hadn't even told Iroh.

Next, she would need to gain entry to the prison and find the correct cell, which she had jotted down on a piece of parchment. As an acrobat and Kyoshi warrior, she was confident in her ability to get to the cell undetected. That wasn't the part she was worried about.

She was worried about being a convincing actress to the piece of slime that currently resided in the cell. He was the one who had been caught trying to send the missive to Azula over a week ago. She would need to convince the man that _she_ was a spy for Azula – an important one who had worked her way into Zuko's inner circle.

The problem was, Ty Lee was not a very good liar. She wore her emotions on her sleeve, people said. She hated dishonesty and double-crossing; she had always dealt with both friends and enemies head-on. She still felt shame as she recalled impersonating a Kyoshi warrior back in Ba Sing Se with Azula. She was lucky Suki and the rest of the Kyoshi warriors had forgiven her, and even let her join them. She didn't deserve their kindness. She felt she had much to atone for.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled her dark cloak closer about her head. Even the dark cloak did not fit her personality. She was accustomed to wearing her bright pinks – not hiding in the shadows.

Steeling herself, she looked at the steep stone face of the prison. She had studied a map of the prison all afternoon, and knew exactly where she needed to go. Gauging a good handhold, she took a running leap and swung lightly through a window. It was one of the few unsecured windows; for one to reach it from the inside, a journey through a long hallway of guard's quarters was necessary. She hoped that most guards would be asleep at this hour – only a skeleton crew would be keeping watch.

She landed quietly; her slippered feet barely disturbed the dust on the floor. Glancing around quickly, she ascertained that no one had seen her enter. Good. The fewer people she had to chi-block, the better. She cracked the door open, and peaked into the hallway. Sconces lit the dim corridor, and a guard sat snoring at the end of the hall. She smirked. She would need to speak with Zuko about the alertness of his prison guards when this was all over.

Stepping quietly past the man, she entered the prison proper. She wrinkled her nose. The place nearly reeked of despair. Sighing almost soundlessly, she knew that the people who remained in here were those who belonged. Ozai was somewhere deep in these walls. She suppressed a shudder.

The acrobat moved silently through the halls until she came to the correct one. She passed up several iron doors until a certain number caught her eye. She pulled the slip of paper from her cloak.

_Yes, this is it._

She pushed the heavy door open, and it gave a metallic groan. She winced inwardly, and hoped that none of the guards had heard the noise. The prisoner inside certainly had, for he looked up at her sharply through the iron bars.

"Th' Fire Lord sendin' a girl to do man's work?" he ground out, his voice still recovering from sleep.

She rewarded him with a quizzical look.

"You gonna interrogate me? If not, I'd like to get some more shut eye," he asked as he rolled back over on his cot.

That was enough to get her going.

"Listen to me, you fool! I didn't risk life and limb to come in here in the middle of the night for you to ignore me! You will want to hear what I have to say," she hissed through clenched teeth.

Suki had told her to use her true emotions to give the illusion of truth. Ty Lee had planned on coming in here and using her typical flirty charms to get her way, but this man had only succeeded in making her angry. The thought of "charming" him made bile rise in her gut. Anger it was, then.

He lazily rolled over and cracked open an eye.

"This better be good, girl," he groused.

As she moved, a flash of pink showed beneath her cloak. Recognition flooded the man's face, and his now-awake eyes narrowed.

"You're the Pretender's little friend," he accused, jumping off the cot and stepping to the edge of his iron cage. "The pink girl. You betrayed the true royal line."

_Game time. Here goes._

"Do you _really_ think that I would betray my _best friend_ while her brother took her rightful place on the throne?" she whispered furiously.

The man's bushy eyebrow lifted.

"I am merely pretending to be loyal to the traitor. The Princess ordered me to falsely surrender to them immediately before her incarceration," she explained.

"How do I know you're not lying?" he growled, pointing a meaty finger at her.

Ty Lee's mind raced. She was about to take a gamble.

"Who do you think let Azula out of her cell?" she said, injecting what she hoped was a sinister tone into her voice. She prayed to Agni that this man did not know the specific details of Azula's escape.

The man still looked skeptical. "Why would the Princess choose _you_?"

Clearly this man had not witnessed her particular abilities. Before the man could blink, her pale hand shot through the prison bars and rendered the man's right arm useless.

"She found that I had useful abilities," she said airily.

The man looked down at his arm uncomfortably. "Okay, let's say I believe you. Why did you come to see me?"

Ty Lee sighed for dramatic effect. "Well, I have a bit of a problem," she began. "Azula was going to send a messenger hawk to me so I would have a means to communicate with her. Unfortunately, it never arrived. I need someone who knows how to reach her."

The man's expression remained skeptical. She twitched her fingers threateningly, and he flinched. "Very well. I can tell you where to go to find someone who can get a message to her. They will decide if you are ultimately telling the truth. For your sake, I hope you are."

She left the prison the same way she came in, with no one the wiser for her visit. She carried the address of a contact, along with a sick feeling in her stomach. As soon as she breathed the cool night air into her lungs, she retched into the grass.

She never wanted to do anything like that again, but knew she would be forced to if they carried this plan through to the end.

* * *

Aang and Toph were nearing the secluded island that the Sun Warriors resided on, and the earthbender was getting restless.

He felt bad, since he had been sulking about Katara nearly the entire trip. He kept replaying all of their recent conversations in his head. He had been so _stupid_! He should have known that Katara would bristle at his attempted control, but at the same time, he hadn't wanted her to go with Zuko.

He trusted the newly-crowned Fire Lord, and even counted him as a friend, but he didn't like whatever had changed between him and Katara after their sojourn to find the Southern Raiders. He sighed. It had been so much easier when Katara hated Zuko. Now, there was a closeness between the two that Aang feared he would never have with Katara.

He knew that Katara cared about him, but the words from the Ember Island Players kept running through his head. _Like a brother._ He feared that was how Katara ultimately felt about him…and the more he pushed her, the farther away she seemed.

He tried to bring his thoughts back to the present. He was surprised to see a familiar landscape ahead. The Island of the Sun Warriors.

"We're almost there, Toph," he reassured her.

"It's about time. I need to feel nice, healthy earth in between my toes again," she said wistfully. She suddenly got a mischievous grin on her face.

"Hey, look at that dragon!" she exclaimed.

"Really? Where? Was it the red one or the…." his hopeful expression fell as he immediately realized he'd been had.

"Toph, is that _really_ necessary?"

"I gotta get my entertainment somewhere, Twinkletoes. And since Snoozles isn't here, you're it."

Aang sighed and started their descent.

"So what are these guys like? I could use a good spar. Do they have a sense of humor?" she asked, the questions flooding out of her now that Aang had finally broken his self-imposed silence.

Aang thought back to the Sun Warriors' peculiar brand of humor.

"Uh…I guess so. They might threaten to kill you though," he said.

Toph snorted. "I'd like to see them try. I mean, they might get you, but they'll never get me."

The young Avatar sighed once more at Toph's assertion. It was probably true. He gently guided Appa through the thick trees and settled the sky bison into a small clearing.

"I think we should camp here for the night. It's getting late, and I'd rather face the Sun Warriors in the daylight," he explained.

"Sure, whatever, Twinkletoes. Makes no difference to me," Toph replied.

They worked in companionable silence as they set up camp. Soon, they sat next to a crackling fire in the now-darkened forest. Aang risked a glance over at the earthbender, who was absently picking a piece of food out of her teeth. He smiled. She _knew_ how to behave properly. She just chose not to.

Guilt overwhelmed him in that moment. He had ignored her during their entire journey due to his sulking over Katara.

"Toph?"

"Yeah, Twinkletoes?" she asked with a hint of sleepiness in her voice.

"I'm sorry wasn't much of a traveling companion," he began, not quite knowing what else to say. He noticed her move her head to face him, a quizzical eyebrow lifted over one unseeing eye. She kept silent, allowing him to continue. The words came spilling out.

"I was just so upset that she could leave me so easily! I-I love her, Toph! But…I don't think she loves me like I love her," he said in a rush. As soon as the words were out, his cheeks flamed in embarrassment. He expected a mocking comment from the earthbender at any moment. To his surprise, none came. He nearly fell over in shock at the words that left her mouth.

"I know how you feel," she said dejectedly.

"You do?" he managed to stammer out.

The young girl seemed to hesitate, as if to decide whether to reveal something personal.

"I…kinda had a thing for Sokka for a while," she said. Before Aang could interrupt her, she pressed on. "Obviously, he's very happy with Suki. It's best that way. She's older than I am…a good, honorable warrior. I'm sure she's pretty, too," she finished.

Aang looked at her in shock. It was clear from her tone at her last statement that she did not believe herself to be…pretty.

He studied her in the firelight, and surprise rushed through him at his sudden realization. Toph _was_ pretty. Her face was flushed at the moment, probably with embarrassment. She turned away from him.

She started to speak to cover her moment of vulnerability. "Well, at least I can kick his butt any-"

"Toph," Aang interrupted. She turned her head back to him at the sound of his voice.

"What?"

"You _are_ pretty. Why would you think you're not?" he asked.

"Well, it's not exactly like I've ever _seen_ myself. Katara told me I was pretty once, but I thought it was just because she was being nice," she admitted. "I just figured I didn't sense deception from her cause she believed I was pretty on the inside or something stupid like that." She immediately regretted bringing up the waterbender when she felt a spike in Aang's heartbeat. To his credit, it quickly slowed to normal.

Toph sighed. "Every once in a while, I wish that I could just see what I looked like. Just a picture…just for a second," she said quietly.

Aang's eyes widened in shock. The earthbender had always asserted how much better it was to be blind. She enjoyed her special abilities – abilities that would not be so fine-tuned without her blindness. To hear her admit that there was some small part of her that wished for vision was…earthshattering.

He repositioned himself in front of her and gently took hold of her hand. He moved her hand to her hair first.

"To start, your hair is black. It's as dark as the night, but it has a nice shine to it, so it reflects the light. Of course, if it's covered in dirt, it doesn't quite have the same effect," he said. Toph could hear the smile in his voice. "The green in your headband contrasts nicely with it – and it matches the green of your eyes," he observed, moving her hand to rest over her eyes. "Your eyes are different from any I've ever seen. They're green, but not like regular green eyes. It's kind of like a meadow covered in mist. "

He moved her hand to cover her cheek. "Now, your skin is pale – like mine and Zuko's. Sokka and Katara's skin is much darker," he paused a moment, and tried to squelch the pain that was associated with Katara's name. "I like your skin – it's just the right shade for you." He moved on, and guided her fingers to feel her nose. "Your nose is small, and fits just right on your face," he said. Toph's lips curved into a smile, and she finally spoke, "And it's just right for picking, too."

Aang couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I guess it is. So do you get the point? You – Toph Bei Fong – are pretty," he finished, dropping her hand to rest in her lap.

Her lips were still curved in a smile. "Fine, I believe you. It's just…my parents always hid me away, so I figured that something was wrong with me. That I was ugly or something. I know they didn't want the world to know that they had a blind daughter, but I always thought there must be more to it."

The fire crackled before the two young teenagers, and finally Toph let loose a wide yawn.

"I'm beat, Twinkletoes," she said tiredly. The young girl hesitated for a moment, kicking at a pebble on the ground. "Thanks, Aang, for…that. And – I'm sorry about you and Sugar Queen."

With that, she spit into a pile of leaves, and swiftly bent an earth tent around herself.

Aang was left to wonder at her. She was so strong, and yet there was a small core of vulnerability inside her. He almost felt honored that she had let him see it. He knew there were few, if any, other people who would ever see it. His heart fluttered in confusion about the earthbender. As he closed his own eyes that night, he pictured not eyes as blue as the ocean, but eyes the color of a misty meadow.


	5. No Turning Back

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

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**Author's Note: **Thanks to everyone for sticking with me! I figured I had better get this chapter up before any potential power outages from Tropical Storm Isaac. See? I think of my readers :) Thanks again to everyone for your reviews and favorites. Much appreciated. I think I responded to everyone - my apologies if I missed you. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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_You can lay down and die, or you can get up and fight, but that's it - there's no turning back._  
-Jon English

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**Chapter 4: No Turning Back**

The sun was setting as Azula's small vessel pulled out of the Earth Kingdom port town. She had been able to get in and out of the town unnoticed. Back when she had first arrived in the Earth Kingdom to chase after her brother and the Avatar, she had stopped here to drop off supplies. Of course, at the time, she had thought she would never need to make use of them, but she heeded the wisdom of her father. She was now in possession of some of her former finery, and well-stocked with a pile of gold pieces. The familiar creaking of her leather armor was a welcome comfort.

As she stared into the golden sunset, she looked west…toward her home. A home that should be well under her fist by now. She longed to vent her frustration with firebending, but she couldn't risk being spotted. Her weakling of a brother was in control of the Fire Nation, and her father had failed. He was lower than even Zuzu now. He had lost his bending. The naïve Avatar thought he was saving Ozai, when in fact he condemned him to a fate worse than death. _He was not worthy to rule the Fire Nation either._

She remembered back to the long-ago conversation with Ozai. The conversation in which he had given her this contingency plan…in which he had drilled into her that knowledge was power. It was a lesson she hadn't ever forgotten.

"_Listen to me, Azula. Knowledge is power. Arm yourself with it. Never reject knowledge, even if you think you will never need it."_

"_Very well, father. What do I need to know?" her younger self had asked._

_He took a small roll of parchment from his robes and placed it in her hand._

"_This is your lifeline in the event of disaster. It is a map to an island. There you will find another map, which will guide you to a secret army. There is an entire Fire Nation colony on the border of the Earth Kingdom that awaits the day it will be called to fight. They are all sleeper agents. As soon as they reach school age, they are properly 'indoctrinated'. They will be loyal to the cause of Sozin. They are unable to do otherwise. They have been trained in the art of war since childhood. Each is an elite warrior. There is a factory nearby – it has been manufacturing war machines and weapons since Sozin established it."_

_Azula's eyes had widened slightly. "Why aren't we using it now?" she demanded._

_Her father smirked down at her. "We haven't needed them. It is a last resort – our best-kept secret."_

_She had let out a slight laugh of mirth at that statement. "I suppose we are winning perfectly well without this secret army."_

"_Azula, there is something else you must know. You know the true histories?"_

_She had nodded. Her father hadn't trusted her brother with knowledge of the true histories, bleeding heart that he was. She, however, knew that the true histories showed the power of her family's line – proof that they alone were fit to rule._

"_Then you know of the great treasure of the Sun Warriors," he said, his tone clearly expecting her to realize something._

_She raised an eyebrow. "You don't mean…he actually found it?" she questioned._

"_Sozin mounted a search for the Sun Warriors' weapon – which we know as Sozin's fist – but never located it. Many of our line have searched – and failed. The weapon may not exist," he admitted._

_The princess' features had clouded with disappointment._

"_He did, however, find at least a part of the treasure of gold. The Sun Warriors had divided it and secreted it away. Sozin found a portion of it hidden in an abandoned temple. He hid it away along with his secret army, which was given the code name of Sozin's Fist, after the ultimate weapon. No one but the Fire Lord and his heir were to know of its existence," he said darkly._

_At that point, he had placed his hands on her shoulders. She prided herself on the fact that she hadn't flinched. Her father's narrow golden eyes met hers as he said, "You are the only one worthy of the Fire Nation throne if I am gone. You are the only one who can continue Sozin's legacy."_

_With that, her father had turned and left the room, leaving her to consider her destiny._

Now…Ozai was worse than dead. She was the only one worthy to rule the world, and with the knowledge her father had bestowed upon her, she would take her rightful place. At least that was one thing Ozai had done right.

* * *

The sun had been up for nearly an hour, and Aang had eaten breakfast, broken down the campsite, and fed Appa. He was currently staring at Toph's earth tent, wondering how to wake her. He had tried knocking and calling her name, all to no avail. Momo landed on his shoulders, chattering away about everything and nothing.

He worried that she was uncomfortable with the conversation they had had the previous night. In fact, today he wasn't even sure what _he_ made of it. He loved Katara, but…he cared for Toph too. And she had been there to listen to him in his pain over Katara's rejection. Not only had she listened, she understood. Maybe she felt embarrassed at having talked to him about something so personal. A part of him was disappointed at that thought. Well, time to confront things head-on.

He took a deep breath, planted his feet firmly on the earth, and collapsed Toph's tent with a quick motion…and promptly received a rock to the stomach for his efforts.

"Don't EVER do that again! What's the big idea, Twinkletoes?" the cranky earthbender yelled.

Then again, maybe she had just been asleep.

As Aang caught his breath and looked at her furious expression, he reflected on the fact that Toph was most definitely not a morning person.

"We need…to…get going," he wheezed.

"Well why didn't you just say so!" Toph cried, throwing her arms into the air.

"I – nevermind," Aang replied. Arguing with Toph was a hopeless endeavor. They would end up being even more delayed, and he would likely have a few boulders hurled in his direction. He chose the no-boulder option. Or at least what he hoped would be the no-boulder option.

"So where are these guys? Didn't you and Sparky say that they just sorta appeared out of nowhere last time?" she said as she haphazardly threw things into her pack, stopping once to pick at her toes.

Aang hesitated. "Well…we kind of set off one of their booby traps. We were…stuck for a while, then they showed up," he finished with a shrug.

"So you messed with their stuff, and they showed up?" she reiterated, crossing her arms.

"Uh, I guess so."

The airbender gave a worried glance at Toph's confident features. That was never a good sign. She had something in mind, and she wasn't sharing what it was. Toph's methods were usually…unconventional. As they traveled through one of the narrow passageways leading to the main courtyard of the temple, Toph threw an arm up in Aang's path.

"Don't move, there's a booby trap right in front of you. If you trigger that stone, the whole thing will collapse," she warned.

He looked down, and sure enough, the stone in front of his foot looked slightly different than its neighbors. They carefully avoided triggering it as they lightly stepped over it. They side-stepped a couple more traps by keeping an eye out for trip wires. It was slow-going.

Finally, they entered the courtyard. The ancient place was really quite impressive. There were statues of dragons and warriors that were thousands of years old. The stone was weather-beaten, but had stood the test of time.

"I think we-" he began and cut off with a yell as Toph stamped her foot and flung a warrior statue across the courtyard to crash into the wall of the temple.

"TOPH! What are you DOING?"

"Getting their attention," she said simply as she put herself into another bending stance.

"STOP!" Aang cried, and immediately realized another, deeper voice had joined his. The Sun Warriors had arrived, seemingly melting out of the stonework. They looked none too happy.

Toph, on the other hand, looked inordinately pleased with herself.

Well, that was one way to get their attention, although it wasn't exactly the impression he wanted to make.

He gave a sidelong glance at the earthbender and whispered furiously out of the corner of his mouth, "If we make it out of this, you and I are having a talk later!"

"Yeah, whatever, Twinkletoes," the girl said with a roll of her eyes. "Want me to save you from the scary Sun Warriors?" she said sarcastically, waggling her fingers at him.

"Shhhhh!" Aang hissed to her as the warriors approached. "Hello, Mr. Sun Warrior Leader Sir!" he said brightly.

The leader of the Sun Warriors crossed his arms and looked down at him. "Avatar, why have you returned?"

He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or worried that they remembered him. The young airbender hesitantly looked up at him. _Might as well just ask._

"Um, what do you know about a secret weapon made from a piece of the comet?"

Without warning, every Sun Warrior called forth a palm full of fire.

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, Suki sat up with a start as she heard someone just outside her room. Her battle-senses at the ready, she waited for the door to open.

Her guard relaxed when she saw it was Ty Lee returning from her mission. She noted with concern that her friend looked awful. She suspected that in that moment, the acrobat would most definitely not describe her own aura as pink. She looked haunted…and ill.

She rushed over to her fellow warrior. Ty Lee leaned on her heavily. "Ty Lee! Are you alright? Did you get into the prison?"

The other girl took a moment to steady herself. "I'll be fine. It's just – he was awful. I got what we needed though."

Suki's shoulders sagged in relief. She was glad that Ty Lee's mission hadn't been all for nothing. Obviously it had come at a price.

"I'm in with him. He trusts me…as far as he'll trust anybody anyway. He gave me the address of a contact. I'm pretty sure he was telling the truth, because the first contact he listed was our friend in the industrial district. I told him he was dead, so he gave me this address."

Suki took the note that Ty Lee had quickly scrawled out. She sighed. It appeared there would be another foray into the industrial district.

"I think there is an entire network of spies and assassins," the young acrobat said wearily. "They must have killed the contact in the Industrial District when they heard this guy was imprisoned. They knew he might talk."

Suki raised an eyebrow. "So what if this second contact is dead?" she asked.

Ty Lee looked defeated at the thought of that statement. "He may be, but I don't think so. The prisoner gave me the impression that he wasn't supposed to know about this second contact, so they may not know to kill him. I only wish we knew who 'they' are."

"We'll go check it out tomorrow. For now, get some sleep," she said.

Ty Lee looked at her – it was disturbing to see the normally upbeat and playful face with such a serious, resigned expression.

"Suki, if we're going to do this, I need to play the part. I've already got one foot in it. This may be the only chance we've got to find Azula, or at least find out what she's planning. I have to go alone," she said in a rush.

The leader of the Kyoshi warriors looked at her with concern. "I'm sure we can work out something – say that you gained an ally in the Fire Palace, or –" she stopped as Ty Lee cut her off.

"No! They'll expect me to be alone. The only other person I could have brought is dead," she said, trying to keep the tears out of her voice. Having Mai certainly would have helped in this situation – but then again, Mai's death was the big reason they were _in _this situation.

Suki sighed in resignation. "You're right. Are you sure you can do this? I'll do what I can, but…"

"I know, you have to stay out of sight. I have to look like a traitor to you all," she said sadly. "I can't even describe what it was like in there tonight. That man – he was so full of hate. He was repulsive. He wants Zuko dead," she said in a haunted tone. "We have to stop them."

With that, she slowly walked out of the room and quietly shut the door behind her. For someone who usually skipped and twirled her way around, it was a disturbing sight indeed.

* * *

Later that morning, Suki arrived at Sokka's room. She shook her head in amused frustration as he continued to snore. After living on the run for so long, it seemed he should be a little bit more aware of his surroundings. Of course, he had had other, more sensitive people to alert him to oncoming danger. Tactical and mechanical genius that he was, he still had yet to learn a few of the finer points of being an elite warrior. Oh well, she loved him all the same.

Of course, that didn't mean she was above trickling some cold water down his neck to wake him up – which he did with a yell. "KATARA! Your spooky magic water –" he blinked as he realized who was in the room with him.

Suki laughed and put a hand on her hip. "Do I look like your sister? And I didn't need 'spooky magic water' for that – I just needed a cup and some cold water," she said lightly.

Sokka tried to glare dangerously at her, but the effect was rather ruined by the line of dried drool coming out of his mouth. He gave up glaring and rubbed his eyes.

The Kyoshi Warrior felt mildly guilty. Sokka had been on the night watch. All of them were trying to keep an extra eye on Iroh…not that the old man couldn't hold his own in a fight, but extra hands were always good. She had already been up since Ty Lee had arrived back in the pre-dawn hours. She hadn't been able to shake the haunted look on her friend's face, and sleep had eluded her. She had kept watch over the entrance to Iroh's quarters while Ty Lee and Sokka had slept. One of her fellow warriors had only recently come to relieve her of watch duty, freeing her to fill Sokka in on the events of last night. In truth, she had been aching to talk it over with him all morning.

"Why don't you go…freshen up," she suggested in an amused tone. He nodded sleepily, then made his way to the bathroom, murmuring something about "crazy warrior women".

"What was that?" she asked in a deceptively sweet tone.

"Nothing!"

"I thought so," she said with satisfaction.

Once Sokka was sufficiently awake, he joined her at the low table in the sitting area. Servants had been in and out to bring breakfast. He stretched and took in everything appreciatively.

He smiled at her and observed, "You know, I could get used to this. Who would have thought we'd ever be _waited on_ in the _Fire Palace_?" He added jokingly, "No wonder Zuko wanted to come home so bad!"

Suki smiled at his light-hearted mood, and wished she didn't have to break it. Sokka deserved a reprieve – they _all _did – but it wasn't to be. Her face became serious.

Sokka noted her change in demeanor and immediately sobered. "What is it?" he inquired.

"I'm worried about Ty Lee," she began. She leaned forward and steepled her fingers in thought. He remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"As you know, we went to go find Azula's contact, and found him dead," she said flatly. "Ty Lee thought that she might be able to get in with the traitor soldier who sent the missive to the contact, since she's about the only one who could pass herself off as secretly loyal to Azula."

Sokka's blue eyes widened. "That's…brilliant, but this is Ty Lee we're talking about! Happy-go-lucky pink aura girl! I know she's good in a fight," he cringed as he recalled _how_ good, "but can she pull this off? This cloak-and-dagger stuff doesn't seem like it would be her area of expertise."

"I know. That's why I'm worried. You should have seen her when she came back last night, Sokka. She looked _sick_. The man she spoke to wants to see Zuko dead. It was all she could do to agree with him."

Sokka looked pointedly at her. "And you're positive she _doesn't_ agree with him, right?"

Suki's eyes narrowed. "_Don't_ make me go through this again with you. I am absolutely certain of her loyalties. And you can ask Toph next time you see her too. Ty Lee is one of us. Don't ever insinuate that she isn't," she finished, poking him in the chest for emphasis.

He had the decency to look abashed. "I'm sorry. It's just strange to really have her as an ally now."

"I know, Sokka. The end of the war…it was a fresh start for everyone who wanted it. And Ty Lee wanted it. Don't forget – I fought her in the war too. She has more than proven herself to us now, though."

She watched Sokka's Water Tribe features soften as he relented.

"So what now?"

Suki sighed. She hated to even think about her friend delving deeper into this treacherous scorpion-viper pit, but she was the only chance they had of getting inside information.

"Ty Lee is meeting a contact today. Hopefully we will find out more of what they're planning. I'm worried that they'll try to take out Iroh while Zuko is out of residence. That way, once they take Zuko out, there is no one to stand in Azula's way. She would have the best claim to the throne."

"Yeah, it seems like something they would try. We need to know how, when, and where ideally. Maybe we should go talk to Ty Lee and discuss how she can try to get the information we need," he suggested. "We need to talk to Iroh too."

"It's a start," she agreed. She kissed him softly. When they pulled apart, she once again had an amused gleam in her eye. "I'll let you eat first though," she laughed.

He shoved a berry tart in his mouth and said, "Good, I wouldn't want all this to go to waste."

At least, that's what she _thought_ he said, since his mouth full made it a little hard to decipher.

* * *

After finishing breakfast, Sokka and Suki met up with Ty Lee to go seek an audience with Iroh. The older man had been quite busy since Zuko's departure dealing with the day to day minutia of the Fire Nation. They knew the battle-weary general had no interest in running the Fire Nation, but he would do anything to help his nephew and his country. His duty was in the Fire Nation, but his heart was in a tea shop in Ba Sing Se. As it was, they hadn't been able to see very much of him. Apparently running a country was time-consuming business.

He and Suki waited for Ty Lee in one of the palace's breezeways surrounding a courtyard. It was a pleasant, clear day. He idly wondered if there was ever bad weather in the Fire Nation. The rich crimson curtains fluttered in the light wind. He looked down the hallway as he heard footsteps approach. It was Ty Lee. Sokka took in her appearance as she walked up to them. The fact that she was calmly walking was disturbing in itself. All of them were used to seeing the acrobat skipping, twirling, or handwalking around. Despite himself, a knot of worry settled in his stomach as he saw a hint of dark circles under her eyes. She had mostly concealed them with makeup, but he could tell they were there.

"I managed to make an appointment to see Iroh," Ty Lee informed them. To the relief of her friends, a small smile finally crossed her face. "The royal secretary was going to make us seek an official audience with him in the throne room, but he overheard me arguing with her. He told her that was nonsense, and that he would take tea in his chambers with us at noon," she explained.

"Good, at least we don't have to argue for some privacy," the Water Tribe warrior said quietly. "We're going to need it." He glanced outside, and saw that the sun was high in the sky. "Come on, it's got to be getting close to noon," he observed.

The three of them walked down the hallways of the palace in silence. He and Suki fell into step behind Ty Lee. After all, she had walked these halls as a young girl – they had been her playground for part of her childhood years. Sokka looked up as they passed the tall portraits of Fire Lords of old.

_Who would have ever thought that I'd ever be walking these halls – and as a guest. The universe sure does like to mess with me. Not that I'm complaining about this one._

Soon, they reached the door to Iroh's chambers. Two of Suki's trusted Kyoshi warriors stood guard, and nodded to Suki as she knocked on the grand wooden door.

The old general admitted them, looking a little weary, but with a welcoming smile on his face.

"Please, come in," he invited. "I have a nice pot of tea prepared," he said with enthusiasm.

Once they were settled – each with a steaming cup of tea – Iroh spoke.

"I am sorry I haven't been very accessible since Zuko left. Running a country is tedious business – that's why I gave the job to Zuko!" he said with a belly laugh. His face turned serious. "As much as I welcome it, I gather that this is not merely a friendly visit. What did you wish to speak about?" There was a moment of silence, and he added, "I can assure you, we have the utmost privacy here."

Suki and Ty Lee related the events of the previous night, and filled him in on the plan to ingratiate Ty Lee with the agents tasked with clearing the way for Azula's rule.

Iroh looked concerned and thoughtful as he listened. Once they finished relating all the information, they waited for him to respond. He took a sip of tea, as if to clear his head, and began to speak.

He locked his gaze with Ty Lee.

"Miss Ty Lee, the information you could acquire for us would be a great advantage, but it is not worth risking your well-being. Are you sure you are up to it?"

She continued to look him in the eye. "Yes," she replied firmly. "I will do what I must to keep my friends safe. To keep the _Fire Nation_ safe. I know it will be difficult, but I'm ready."

He nodded in approval. "Very well. Just remember – you are not alone, and if it becomes too much, we will find another way."

She nodded in return. "I am going to meet the contact this evening to see what I can find out. I hope – " she faltered for a moment, "I hope I can make it believable. It's going to be difficult to agree with them. I'm going to have to do _more_ than agree with them. I'm going to have to convince them that I am still loyal to Azula. I'm going to have to say terrible things…and hear terrible things."

Suki reached out and clasped her friend's hand. "We know where your true loyalties lie," she said with an encouraging smile. "Thank you for doing this. And Iroh is right. We'll find another way if we have to."

Sokka had mostly listened as the girls related their information and their plan. Despite what he had promised Suki earlier, he had still been worried about Ty Lee's loyalties, but after watching the girl, he could see she was genuine.

He added his encouragement. "We've got your back, Ty Lee."

* * *

A small red war balloon traveled across the cloudless blue sky. Inside, Zuko wiped sweat from his brow after he gave one last burst of flame to the furnace. Katara had busied herself taking stock of their supplies. She finished putting the rest of their supplies back in their packs as Zuko brushed his hands off and rested his elbows on the edge of the war balloon.

The waterbender's voice cut through the silence. "Zuko, we need to stop for supplies. We're almost out of food. The fresh water is nearly gone too. If there were any clouds, I could bend some water, but…" she trailed off and swept her hand to indicate the empty blue sky.

Zuko's good eye narrowed. "We can't stop now! Azula has a huge lead on us! We don't even know what she'll find at this destination. What if she takes any clues?"

The waterbender put her hands on her hips. "We're not going to do any good to anybody if we _starve_ to death on the way to finding Azula! You said yourself that she was purposely leading us on, so I think she'll leave any clues for us to find," she said sharply.

The young Fire Lord's features remained hard, but he relented. "Fine. You're right. She already left the stone map for us. We need food and supplies."

Katara sighed. She knew he was frustrated. She was frustrated too. It seemed they had been flying forever, and Zuko's sleep was interrupted since he was the only one who could effectively keep the war balloon afloat. They were both worried about what Azula would do to Ursa. Zuko had told her that Ursa was a firebender, but not a warrior. Then there was the fact that she had been imprisoned for years, and was likely weak from her incarceration. Katara shivered at the thought of being under the control of the warden of the island for that long.

"Zuko…Azula probably had to stop for supplies too," she offered. "Maybe we can ask around to see if anyone may have spotted her," she said, trying to keep the skepticism out of her voice.

She heard him sigh, and saw him look toward the land. They had been skirting the coast the entire way. In the distance, she could see the ships docked in a port city.

"Yeah, maybe," he said with resignation in his voice. "Let's go get some supplies, and maybe we can do a little more flying before making camp for tonight."

Katara's blue eyes looked at him in surprise. They hadn't made camp for days – they had just kept flying. She could see the dark circle under the pale skin of his right eye. _Finally, he can get some rest._

"Sounds good to me," she said quietly.

* * *

The small wooden ship cut through the ocean waves as the Fire Princess descended into the cabin of the vessel. She mentally tried to calculate when she had last brought food and water to her mother. She really missed having servants for this kind of thing. The expressions her mother gave her were becoming more disturbing as of late.

She quickly gathered some bread and dried meat, and filled a container with some fresh water. Mentally sighing, she entered the room in which she was holding her prisoner. She had moved her mother from the main cabin into this small side room, which was little more than a closet with enough room for a sleeping mat.

The cabin was dimly lit. Ursa had managed to remove the ropes that bound her hands and had ignited the lantern that hung on the wall.

"Hello, Azula," her mother said quietly.

The younger woman's eyes narrowed as she threw the tray of foodstuffs onto the floor with a clatter.

"Why didn't you try to escape while we were at the port town?" she demanded. "You knew I was away from the ship. You unbound yourself. Why didn't you just _leave_?" she hissed into the dim room.

"I thought I was to be your prisoner," Ursa answered with a slight quirk in her lip.

Rage burst up inside Azula.

"You are _weak!_ Just like Zuko! Just like Uncle! Just like FATHER!" she screamed at the woman who had borne her, the mad glint returning to her eyes.

The raven-haired woman sat calmly, and Azula was ready to turn away in disgust when her mother's quiet voice reached her ears.

"You need me right now, Azula. More than Zuko does. I won't abandon you. And doesn't it take more strength to willingly remain a prisoner than to run when an obvious chance presents itself?"

"Shut UP! I don't NEED you! I wish you had run when you had a chance so I wouldn't have to listen to your weak words!" she yelled as her fists blazed with blue flame. The young girl turned on her heel and slammed the door on the way out of the room, fists still smoking.

Fuming, Azula ran to the deck of the ship. _How can she be so maddeningly calm?_ All she wanted was for her mother to fight back. She _knew_ her mother thought she was a monster. Why wouldn't she _fight back?_

Breathing in the sea air, she longed to release her energy into a great bout of firebending, but she stopped herself. She could not risk being spotted by anyone, and on the sea, one could see for miles. A pillar of blue flame or a brilliant lightning bolt in a clear sky would be a dead giveaway.

Soon, she would be able to do whatever she wanted. The world would be under her thumb. All of her plans were slowly coming together. Before leaving the Fire Nation, she had activated a network of agents loyal to the cause of the war. Their sole purpose was to eliminate any potential heirs to the throne who would be a threat to that cause. She was certain that Zuzu wasn't still in residence at the palace, which was a shame, as it would be handy to have him eliminated as a contender to the throne, but she would deal with him in due time. She was leaving clues for him to follow her, anyway. At the very least, her useless uncle, whom her brother had undoubtedly left in control of the Fire Nation upon his departure, would soon be dead.

With each passing wave, she was just a little bit closer to her own elite army. The soldiers would be hers, and had been trained to fight from an early age. In addition, there should be a vast store of war machines and weapons. Her father had told her that part of the great treasure was hidden away with the army. It really was amazing what gold could buy. Gold could even buy loyalty. And fear…fear inspired it.

Once she arrived, she would send word to her remaining loyal Dai Li agents that she had left behind in Ba Sing Se. Elite earthbenders would be a welcome addition to her forces.

She gripped the rail as a strong gust of wind whipped her raven locks around her face. A cold smile appeared on her face. Before invading the Fire Nation capital, she would be making a little side trip to the former islands of the Sun Warriors. She wanted to go on a small treasure hunt of her own. With one last satisfied breath, she left the deck for her cabin, ignoring all thoughts of her mother.

_Yes, it was all coming together._


	6. Trust

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

* * *

**Author's note: **Again, thank you for the reviews, favorites, etc. You guys make me happy :) Sorry for those of you I missed responding to! Life hasn't been giving me many breaks lately! Also, there's a small reference to my one-shot _Forgiveness_. I hope you'll go check it out if you haven't already!

* * *

_The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them._  
-Ernest Hemingway

* * *

**Chapter 5: Trust**

Aang and Toph stood in the ancient courtyard as the Sun Warriors closed in around them. The airbender saw his friend begin to take a bending stance out of the corner of his eye, and reached over to take her small wrist in his hand.

"Toph, don't. I don't want to fight them," he said warily.

"What do you think _they're_ going to do? I'm pretty sure they want to fight us!" she hissed back at him.

He tightened his grip on her wrist. "No, that's not going to be the way. Remember, we _need_ to get this information from them. They'll never tell us if they don't trust us."

"Fine," she said, her tone frustrated. Aang felt relieved when she relaxed her stance.

The Sun Warrior chief approached them, still in a defensive position. Aang put his hands together and made a formal bow to him.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, Chief," he offered. "There is a new danger to the world, and we need to have this information."

"_You_ don't need to know _anything!_ How did you learn of such a weapon? Those who seek it only mean to bring destruction!" the chief shouted. The young airbender tried not to flinch.

"So…it does exist then?" he ventured.

The older man opened his mouth, and nothing came out. Finally he stuttered, "N-no. What gave you that idea?"

Aang mentally slapped his forehead, and willed Toph not to do anything rash. He could feel the earthbender next to him practically vibrating with the need to do something. He warily eyed the group of Sun Warriors, who had tightened their circle around him.

"Uh…_you_ did?" he said hesitantly.

Apparently that was the wrong answer. The chief made a gesture towards them and yelled, "Seize them! Put them in the dungeon!"

Aang threw his hands up in a placating position. _This is bad…_

"Wait! No! I'm the Avatar! I'm supposed to bring peace to the world! I would never use a weapon like that!" he said, exasperation creeping into his voice.

The chief's eyes narrowed at him. "You are friends with the Fire Lord. How can we trust you?" he demanded.

Aang sighed. "The masters judged me and Zuko worthy! You were there!"

The man looked down at him. "True, but we also commanded you never to tell anyone of our existence," he said, his gaze sliding over to Toph. "Clearly, you haven't kept that promise."

Toph couldn't keep silent any longer. "Look here, Sunshine. For one, I'm blind," she stated, waving her hand in front of her eyes for emphasis. "I couldn't tell anyone how to get here if I wanted to! Second, _he's the Avatar!_ He just saved your sorry butts from destruction at the hands of the psychotic former Fire Lord's hands! He was going to destroy the entire world, and last I checked, you were part of the world," she concluded.

It still wasn't enough to convince the suspicious warrior chief. His face remained hard. "What if his idea of _keeping_ the peace is to achieve ultimate control with the weapon? Just think – the weapon in the hands of an avatar would be formidable indeed," he said.

Aang had to take some steadying breaths. "I would _never_ do that," he ground out, trying to keep his voice calm.

"It is not enough. You will be imprisoned while we figure out what to do with you," he said with finality.

The young avatar's shoulders slumped. He could feel Toph readying for a fight, and grasped her wrist once more.

"Toph – " he started.

She looked over in his direction, an incredulous expression on her face. "You're not actually going to _let _them – "

He cut in. "We _have_ to. We'll think of a way to earn their trust later," he whispered to her.

"You owe me _big time_, Twinkletoes," she said as she allowed a Sun Warrior to bind her hands.

Aang looked over at her as his own hands were bound. "Yeah, I figured," he said with resignation.

* * *

A few hours after landing just outside the Earth Kingdom town, with their supplies re-stocked and some more distance flown, Zuko and Katara settled down to camp for the night on a small island just offshore from the Earth Kingdom. They set up camp in silence, each of them too tired to make conversation. They had asked around town to find out any information about Azula's movements, but had come up with nothing.

Zuko wordlessly lit a fire, and Katara prepared a meal. Once they had some rice and meat in their stomachs, they sat in companionable silence.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Zuko interrupted the silence.

"I'm sorry for yelling earlier," he said, staring out at the water.

He looked over sharply as Katara let out a small laugh.

He looked perturbed, and finally asked, "What's so funny? I didn't realize apologies are supposed to be funny." He stood up and started to walk away.

"Zuko wait! It's not…," she stood up and grasped his arm. She pulled him back down to the sand. "It just seems like we're both always apologizing to each other for something," she said with a soft smile.

She was rewarded with a small smile from Zuko.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he concurred. "I suppose we've been fighting almost since the day we met," he said, looking over at her. "Most of the time I feel like I can't apologize enough to you," he continued quietly, his head bowed.

She gave him a worried glance. "Zuko, how many times do I have to tell you that I _forgive_ you before you get it through your thick firebender skull?"

He looked away from her. She wished he would meet her eyes. "I know. I just did so many horrible things. I guess I still can't believe that you _did_ forgive me."

"Zuko, look at me," she demanded. His golden eyes met hers. "Yes, I _hated_ you. You were the face of the enemy for so long. After what you did in Ba Sing Se, I…I wanted you dead."

He looked down in shame once more.

She reached over and grabbed his hand with both of hers. His hand was pleasantly warm – the skin of a firebender. She felt the calluses and scars that ran along his palm. She was pleased when he met her gaze again.

"And now _I_ am ashamed," she admitted. He looked at her in confusion. "I'm ashamed that I ever thought that I wanted you dead. I'm sorry for how horribly I treated you when you first joined us. I had _no_ idea what you had gone through to get there…I don't even know if I do now."

She plunged on before he could interject. "You made up for everything. You _saved_ my _life_, Zuko. I _trust_ you with my life. Don't ever be ashamed again, okay?"

He gave her a tentative smile. "But – "

"Shut up, Zuko," she said as she gave his hand a squeeze.

He let go of her hands and relaxed back on the sand, crossing his hands behind his head. Katara looked at him fondly as he gazed up at the moon. It was hard to believe how far they had come from the moment the scarred prince had invaded her village. They had made the journey from being the bitterest of enemies to the closest of friends. She studied his face as he stared up at the sky, and she remembered a conversation they had had immediately following their journey to find the leader of the Southern Raiders. Zuko had hinted at the origin of his scar, but he had balked at telling her the story. He had mentioned his father having something to do with it. She wanted to know – she wanted to understand him.

"Zuko? You never did tell me how you got your scar," she asked, hesitance shading her voice. She saw his body stiffen, and he abruptly sat up.

She immediately regretted asking him. "Never mind. You don't have to-" she started. Her voice trailed off as she took in the haunted look on the firebender's face. He sat with his legs crossed in the sand, staring out over the water. Just as she began to accept the silence, his voice cut through it.

"I spoke out of turn at a war meeting," he said simply. Katara listened for emotion in his voice, and found none. She trailed her fingers through the sand as she waited for him to continue. She would press him no further.

He gave a mirthless laugh. "My father had become Fire Lord by that point, and as such, I was next in line for the throne. I was thirteen. So young. So _stupid._"

A small sigh escaped his lips and he continued. "My uncle tried to talk me out of attending the war meeting, but I thought I needed to learn how to run the Fire Nation. If only I had known…"

Katara looked up at him again as he stayed quiet for a moment. After a few heartbeats, he continued on with his story.

"One of the generals wanted to sacrifice new recruits as a diversion. Idealist that I am," he paused as Katara snorted, "I spoke out against this plan. It was seen as an insult, and I was challenged to an Agni Kai."

The waterbender's blue eyes widened in horror. She had seen an Agni Kai firsthand – granted, it was on the day of Sozin's Comet, but she gathered that it would be a violent enterprise even on a regular day. She couldn't help breaking her unspoken rule of not interrupting his story.

"But…you were thirteen! Surely they couldn't expect you to fight against a _general_!" she managed to gasp out.

She felt a shiver go down her spine at Zuko's haunting smile. She was about to learn more than she ever wanted to know.

"No, they didn't expect me to go against the general," he said, almost feeling guilty as he saw the relief that passed over Katara's features. It would be short-lived.

"By speaking out in the war room, it was seen as an insult against the Fire Lord – against my father," he said as he watched the horrified comprehension show on his friend's face.

"He didn't…" she whispered.

He ignored her comment and continued his story. "Once I realized who I would be fighting, I threw myself on my knees before him and said I would not fight him. I told him I was his loyal son. He said I would learn respect and that suffering would be my teacher," he said bitterly.

"I remember fire coming towards my face. The next thing I remember was a bandage covering my face and my uncle explaining to me that I had been banished…and would not be allowed home until I captured the Avatar," he said, his voice nearly a whisper.

When he gathered enough courage to look once more at Katara, he saw furious tears running down her face.

"How could he do that to his own _son?_" she hissed.

Zuko was taken aback by her reaction. He had expected pity…or disdain for his weakness…or…well, he didn't know what. At the moment, her eyes were flashing with anger in the moonlight. She looked ready to waterbend herself back to the Fire Nation and kill Ozai herself.

"Katara, he's where he belongs now. Aang did the right thing," he said quietly. "I think – I've made peace with myself. It will never go away, but I can deal with it," he paused for a moment, then added quietly, "and talking about it helps, I think."

Before he could react, he was grabbed in a fierce hug by a tearful waterbender.

As she held onto him, she whispered words that would give him comfort for a long time to come.

"I'm glad you told me. I never understood _why_ you were so determined to capture us. I always just thought that you wanted to capture Aang to bring glory to the Fire Nation and extinguish any hope the world had," she said in a rush. She took a shuddering breath and continued, "Now…I understand. You wanted to go home."

"Yeah, I did. I wanted my father to accept me…to love me as he did Azula," he said with bitter irony in his voice. His lip quirked as he quoted his uncle, "Destiny is a funny thing."

Katara released her death grip on him and studied his face at arm's length.

"You know…I can probably get more Spirit Oasis water now. I – I could try to heal your scar," she said tentatively.

He raised his good eyebrow at her. Had they come full circle? This…this meant more than an offer of healing. It showed that she was throwing all her trust at him, just as she had done in the Crystal Catacombs – before he had thrown it back in her face.

He smiled at her. On most people, it would seem a small grin, but on Zuko it was the brightest smile in the world.

"Katara, thank you," he started. Her expression became slightly perplexed as he continued. "I think I'll keep my scar though. I've learned that it's a part of who I am. Without it, who knows where we would all be? I used to want nothing more than to erase it…but now? Now I see it as a mark of everything I've learned."

He was afraid that he had offended her by rejecting her offer, but she merely reached out to brush her hand across the rough skin of his scar. A single tear trickled down her face as she quietly said, "You always had your honor, Zuko. "

* * *

Ty Lee once again made her way through the industrial district on the edge of the capital city. She stayed alert as she traveled. This was where the dregs of society resided. Unfortunately, many innocent families lived here as well. They toiled away in the factories, just trying to make ends meet. She saw a small face poke out through the curtain covering a window, but the child was quickly pulled back. The unsavory characters were attracted to this area since it was easy for one to blend in and disappear. She sighed. Maybe, once this was all over, she would ask Zuko if she could work on improving life for the families here.

She approached the address she was searching for, and took a steadying breath.

_I can do this. I have to do this._

She knocked on the door, and was rewarded with an answer.

"You lost, girlie?" the man said mockingly.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I got your information from a mutual friend who is currently residing in prison," she stated. "I am loyal to the true royal line," she said. _Well, it's true. Of course, I think the true royal line lies with Zuko._

"Who are you?" he asked with suspicion. He had raised his eyebrow at the mention of the man in prisoner. She suspected she was correct – that no one in this organization knew the imprisoned man had knowledge about this contact. That was the only reason this man was alive.

She leaned in close to him. She could smell his foul breath, and attempted to ignore it. "Surely you've heard that the princess traveled with a chi-blocking friend?" she whispered.

The man nodded.

"That's me," she stated simply.

"Prove it," he entreated, and his arm immediately went limp as Ty Lee chi-blocked him.

His eyebrows rose to the line of his unkempt hair. "Very well. Come in. Let's…discuss things."

She followed him into the modest domicile. "Forgive me if I don't tell you my name. For now, you may call me Messenger," he said as he motioned for her to sit at the table.

As soon as they were settled, he spoke once more. "So, Chi-blocker. Tell me why you wish to enter my confidence.

_Here it goes._

"Princess Azula is the rightful heir to the throne. Fire Lord Ozai _chose_ her as his heir, not that weak son of his. The princess truly holds the interests of the Fire Nation at heart. She alone can continue the legacy of Sozin," she stated as she willed the bile that rose in her gut to dissipate.

Messenger's lips curled into an eerie smile. Ty Lee suppressed a shudder.

"I am glad you hold to our views, girl. Princess Azula entrusted us with this mission. Fire Lord Ozai hand-picked a network of assassins and spies well before his demise in the event they were needed. The princess knew of us, and contacted us before her departure from the Fire Nation. We must clear the way for her rule," he said with pride in his voice.

Ty Lee leaned forward. "What can I do to help with this mission?"

His lips opened into a wider smile, showing his teeth.

"Actually, you may be too late to help. There is an assassin who has infiltrated the palace, and is poised to strike this evening," he said steadily.

The young Kyoshi warrior used all of her willpower to force down her panic.

_Is he bluffing? He may be using this as a test, to see if I rush out to warn Iroh. If it's not a bluff…_she couldn't even consider what may happen. _I just have to trust Sokka and Suki and everyone else to keep him safe._

She managed to force her face into what she hoped was a gloating expression.

"Good. The assassin will be striking against the weak uncle then?" she asked, hoping for information.

Messenger's face relaxed marginally. Apparently she had passed the test.

"Yes. By now, he could well be dead – the victim of a well-placed poison dart."

Ty Lee's base instinct cried out for her to run out the door to warn Iroh, but she couldn't give up their only chance at finding information on Azula.

"For the glory of the Fire Nation," she said, trying to will a smile onto her face.

"For the glory of the Fire Nation," he companion repeated.

She was gaining his trust. She needed more information. "Have you heard from the princess? I was supposed to receive a messenger hawk with further instructions, and it never arrived. That's why I was seeking you," she explained.

"I have not," he answered. He paused, and she hoped he would offer more information. She was not disappointed. "Her instructions stated that she would be traveling to the Earth Kingdom and may be out of contact for some time. I can let you know when I receive a message," he said.

"How will I know?" she asked.

"Do you recall passing through the gate into this district?" he asked.

She nodded.

"In the wall to the left, the third stone down from the top is loose. Check it when you can. I will leave any word in there," he offered. "You may also meet me here if you can get away."

She was marginally relieved they hadn't made contact with Azula. That bought her a little more time, since her cover would be blown once they messaged Azula to ask about her. Now the next moment she had been dreading.

"Do you have any information for _me?_" he asked pointedly.

_Well, hopefully none of it is very useful. Hopefully they already know._

"I'm sure you know, but the….but the pretender is on a mission to stop Princess Azula," she said. She mentally slapped herself. She had almost called Zuko the Fire Lord. She offered one more thing. "The Avatar has also left on a mission with his earthbending friend," she added. "I'm sorry I don't have more to offer right now," she finished.

"Yes, we knew that the pretender was not in residence. It is good to know that the Avatar has left the city," he said, his expression calculating.

She stood up. "I must leave. They will grow suspicious if I am gone for too long, especially since Iroh may have been assassinated by now."

The man barked out a short laugh. "We can only hope! Go back. Gain their trust. We will meet again, Chi-blocker."

Ty Lee gave him a nod, and stepped into the night air. She calmly walked down the alley away from the house, and as soon as she was out of the industrial district, she ran as fast as she could for the palace.

* * *

Sokka and Suki made their way through the grand hallways of the palace. Dusk had settled over the city, and they had seen Ty Lee off a half hour earlier. The temperature had cooled in the evening hours, much to the couple's relief. As long as they had been in the Fire Nation, neither was yet used to the heat.

Ty Lee hadn't been happy when she left. Suki had wanted to send another Kyoshi warrior to tail her, but the young acrobat wouldn't have it. They had settled on sending the newly-promoted Admiral Jee in the guise of a foot soldier. He would accompany her as far as the gates of the Industrial District. If he was seen, they could excuse his presence by saying that he was a soldier loyal to Azula.

Soon after Ty Lee's departure, they had received a message from Iroh inviting them to the throne room right away. The two warriors had no idea what the retired general could want to speak to them about. If it was anything that needed to stay secret, Iroh would have invited them for tea in his chambers.

Before long, they arrived at the ornate doorway to the throne room. Suki handed the invitation to the guard, who wordlessly aimed a blast of fire into the mechanism that opened the door. Sokka never failed to be impressed by the architecture in the palace. The locking apparatus clicked, and the golden dragons decorating the mahogany doors disengaged to grant them entrance.

They made their way into the throne room, their footsteps echoing in the grand chamber. Fire reflected off of the shiny marble floor, and they walked between the huge pillars up to the throne.

The ceremonial fire was abruptly extinguished, and the old general stepped down to greet them, a smile lighting his face.

Sokka felt relief. It was good news then.

"I am sorry to interrupt your dinner hour," Iroh apologized.

"Oh, we weren't eating," Suki assured him. "We came as soon as we received your message. "

The elder firebender turned to Sokka. He reached behind a pillar and grasped a long, slender, cloth-wrapped item.

"Young Sokka, I have a very special gift for you," he said, holding the item out to Sokka.

The Water Tribe warrior's eyebrows raised on his forehead. He carefully took it from Iroh. The item was clearly a sword. Had Zuko's uncle had another sword commissioned for him after the loss of Space Sword in the battle?

He met Iroh's eyes with a questioning look, and gingerly started unwrapping the parcel. A familiar gleam of dark metal greeted him, and realization flew through him.

"Space Sword!" he exclaimed. He held it out proudly, and heard Suki laugh in satisfied amusement next to him.

"How did you – where did you – " he stammered. He couldn't even form the question.

"My nephew had dispatched workers to help with the cleanup at the site of the airship battle. He knew you had lost your sword, and asked them to keep an eye out for it. The sword was found in the forest," Iroh explained.

Sokka laid the sword on the floor and threw his arms around the gray-haired man.

"Thank you!"

After Iroh disengaged himself from an excited Sokka, he replied, "Don't thank me, thank my nephew next time you see him."

Sokka nodded. "I will."

Iroh waved them toward the exit. "I would be honored if you two young warriors would join this old man for his evening walk around the grounds," he said with a smile.

Suki looked at him worriedly. "General – " she stopped when Iroh looked at her pointedly. Right. Stop referring to him so formally. He had requested that all of Zuko's friends call him "Uncle." "Uncle," she amended, "with all due respect, I don't think it wise for you to be doing any regular activities right now. What if an assassin is gauging your daily activities?"

"Miss Suki, I appreciate your concern. I do not wish for the threat of an assassin to make me fearful to live my life as I like. I am an old man, and need to find enjoyment when I can!"

Suki sighed. "All right. We'll go with you." She gave him a pleading look. "Please be careful, Uncle. None of us want to lose you, and you are definitely a target right now."

Iroh smiled at her. "I think the Dragon of the West can handle an assassin," he said with a laugh.

They made their way through the hallways toward a stairway that led to the gardens, making idle chit chat along the way. They stepped outside, and a pleasant evening greeted them. The sun had just set, and red fingers of light were slowly disappearing behind the horizon. Fireflies were flashing as they danced through the royal gardens.

As they descended the stairs, a dark movement on the roof across the way caught Sokka's eye. His blue eyes widened in alarm as he saw a figure lift something to its face.

"Look out!" he yelled. At the same moment, one of Suki's war fans flashed through the empty space in front of Iroh. It hit something mid-air and clattered to the ground while the firebender sent a great swash of fire toward the figure. He was knocked from the roof, but was up and running as soon as he hit the ground.

His escape was short-lived as Sokka tackled him from behind. He held him down as he waited for the royal guards to take the would-be assassin into custody.

"Who are you?" he yelled as he forced the smaller man's face into the dirt. The guards reached him and forced manacles onto the man. A blowgun lay in the dirt.

Suki ran up to Sokka's side, Iroh close on her heels. She gingerly held a dart in her hands, which she had picked up using a piece of cloth to guard it from her skin.

"Poison dart," she said grimly.

Iroh looked at the assassin with a sorrowful gaze.

"Bring him to the dungeons. Interrogate him," he ordered.

After the man was led away, he faced Sokka and Suki, grief shadowing his face.

"Thank you, my young friends. I did not think the threat serious. I owe you my life," he said quietly. "I am sorry to have put you in such danger."

Suki reached out and embraced the older man.

"We're fine. We're all fine. And now we know."

Sokka looked out past the gates. "I hope Ty Lee is all right."

* * *

**There you have it, folks! I hope you enjoyed the latest installment. The next one will probably be a bit of a wait, unfortunately. I'll do my best!**


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